A new record attendance has been set for a women’s football match in Spain after 48,121 fans watched Athletic Bilbao take on Atlético Madrid yesterday (Wednesday).
The two sides met at Bilbao’s San Mamés stadium in the quarter-final of the Copa de la Reina. Home fans left disappointed after Atlético ran out 2-0 winners.
San Mamés has a capacity of 53,000 and yesterday’s attendance surpassed any of those set by Athletic’s men’s team this season.
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) hailed the achievement, stating that Bilbao has “written a piece of history in the sport”.
Athletic allowed season ticket holders to attend yesterday’s match for free, with general admission tickets priced at just €5 (£4.38/$5.74).
The club also held the previous attendance record for a women’s football match in Spain, with a crowd of 35,000 turning up at the old San Mamés stadium for a title-winning match back in 2003.
According to the Associated Press news agency, Athletic has claimed yesterday’s attendance marks a record for a club-level women’s match in Europe, not just Spain. The English Football Association disputes this, however, claiming 53,000 people attended a match between Dick, Kerr’s Ladies and St. Helen’s Ladies in 1920.
The record attendance for a women’s football match at any level is 90,185, which was set at the 1999 FIFA World Cup final between USA and China at California’s Rose Bowl Stadium.
Image: RFEF
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