News & Insight
Posted on December 12, 2024
By Two Circles
UK’s insatiable appetite for football sees attendances for the women’s game break into top five
- Women’s football sees a 38% surge in UK attendance
- UK sports attendance grows by 27% over the past decade
- Total attendance for UK sports events set to hit 77.7 million in 2024, despite the cost-of-living crisis
Sport continues to capture fans’ passion like nothing else, even amidst the rising cost of living, with total attendances of professional sports events set to hit 77.7 million in 2024 – a rise of 27% over the past decade.
Playing a pivotal role in driving this record-breaking sports attendance growth is the powerful rise of women’s football. In fact, if we were to consolidate attendances for women’s football alone, it would now be the UK’s fifth most attended sport in its own right. This rise puts women’s football behind only men’s football, rugby union, cricket and horse racing in total paid attendance.
In total, Two Circles data reveals that 2.12 million fans will have cheered on women’s professional football by the end of 2024, a year-on-year rise of 38%.
The findings form part of Two Circles’ 2024 Sports Attendance Review – UK edition, exploring trends of the past 12 months across all ticketed, professional sports taking place in the UK.
Sport and Music Defy the Economic Odds
This growth comes despite some areas of the discretionary leisure sector feeling the pinch, as consumers cut back on non-essential goods. In 2024, 67% of consumers report spending less on dining out[1], and box office revenues have dropped by 20% compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019[2].
Sport, however, has shown resilience, maintaining its share of consumer spending and fuelling growth in the experiential economy. This is mirroring trends in music which has also seen a boost, with Live Nation reporting increased attendance globally in 2024[3], driven in part by the record-breaking success of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.
Feeding The Insatiable Demand For Football
Over the last twenty years, demand for football in the UK has skyrocketed. There is nothing quite like it. The national obsession with the sport is widely reported, exclusively attracting more consumption than the rest of the top ten sports combined[4]. Continuing that trend, football attendance records reached a new high this year, with 55 million total attendances expected for the UK’s undisputed champion. In 2024, Premier League crowds alone are set to surpass 14.8m, consistently selling out stadia with occupancy rates hitting a staggering 97%.
And as the bigger clubs hit capacity – followed by the ensuing plateau – more and more are responding with significant stadium developments and investment, including the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City, Everton, Newcastle United and others.
With excess demand driving more fans to explore the men’s and women’s lower leagues, it could be significant in contributing to rising attendances across all levels of the game.
This trend is especially evident in women’s football, where year-on-year growth of nearly 38% in the UK has led to larger – and more consistent – crowds than ever before. Notably, the Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship have achieved significant increases in both total and average attendances.
The surge in women’s football is being felt across Europe as well. Recent figures show average attendances in the top four leagues—Frauen-Bundesliga, WSL, Liga F and D1—rose by 24% during the 2023-24 season.
6 Things You Didn’t Know
- Football leads the charge. Football remains the leading sport, with over 55 million fans set to watch a professional match in the UK for the second consecutive year. The Premier League alone is set to account for 14.8 million of that total, averaging over 40,000 fans per game.
- Premium annual events remain undefeated. The top five UK annual events—Wimbledon, the British Formula 1 Grand Prix, Royal Ascot, The Open and Cheltenham Festival—have remained consistent for a decade, drawing unwavering fan interest.
- Growth at Royal Troon for the R&A. Attendance figures between last two Open Championships at Royal Troon grew 49% – from 2016 to 2024 – showcasing the growing base of golf spectators in the UK.
- British Grand Prix remains most attended day. With a record attendance of 164,000, Sunday at the British Grand Prix remains the most attended event in UK sport.
- Variety of sports supporting UK growth. Attendance increases weren’t limited to football, with sports such as netball, darts, swimming, snooker and ice hockey also seeing significant growth.
- The Hundred. With 540,000 attendees in 2024, The Hundred has now surpassed two million in total attendance since its inception in 2021, including more than one million for women’s games alone.
Gareth Balch, CEO & Co-Founder at Two Circles, explains:
“What we’re seeing from attendances in 2024 is clear, nothing beats the live experience. This is true for sports as it is for music, and so it is little wonder that the likes of Oasis are seeing the value in returning to the big stage.”
“In sports, there continues to be challenges for the squeezed middle, but these numbers demonstrate that there is an enthusiastic community of passionate sports fans ready to embrace those willing to innovate. Balance will be crucial in the coming years, building pricing strategies that maintain accessibility while maximising revenues, enabling brilliantly engaging live experiences.
“The winners will be those that know their fans best.”
Two Circles grows audiences & revenues by knowing fans best. Find out more here.
Notes:
Only paid ticketed events for professional, competitive sports events held in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are considered.
Attendance figures used are those declared by the hosting rights-holder, where available, which include the number of tickets sold and other relevant attendees granted access to the venue.