The success of hosting the Women's European Championship in 2025 has provided a significant boost to women's football in Switzerland, with domestic clubs reporting a dramatic surge in fan interest.
Record-Breaking Tournament Fuels Domestic Growth
Switzerland became the toast of the continent this summer, hosting a record-breaking Euros where the national team reached the quarter-finals for the first time. A total of 623,088 fans attended the 31 matches, setting a new tournament benchmark. The hope was for a club-level boost akin to England's experience after Euro 2022, and while the scale is different, a definite upward trend has emerged.
According to the Swiss football association, the Women's Super League has seen a 62% increase in attendances this season, pushing the average crowd to 787 spectators per game. This growth, though more modest than the 172% spike seen in England, signals a positive shift for the sport.
Club-Level Initiatives and The Push for Sustainability
Individual clubs are reaping the benefits. Grasshopper, currently second in the table, has seen its average attendance jump from 300 to 450. Even Thun, who are bottom of the league, have more than doubled their average crowd from 156 to 326. Basel have experienced a huge rise in season ticket sales, from 300 to 800, though matchday numbers remain steady.
Basel's women's sporting director, Fabian Sanginés, revealed the club is trying creative methods to attract fans, such as offering free popcorn to children. However, he emphasises that long-term progress must go beyond gimmicks. "When a country applies to host a Euros they need to have a plan," Sanginés says. "The legacy programme here is about trying to ensure we increase certain standards in the youth and also get financial help for them. Everyone had a huge hype about the Euros, but hype is for a certain amount of time and we don't want to be the hype; we want to be sustainable and long term."
National Team Momentum and The Challenge Ahead
The increased enthusiasm has also benefited the national team. In their first home game after the tournament, a 1-0 victory over Canada in October, a crowd of 10,025 watched Alayah Pilgrim score the winning goal in Lucerne. This marked Switzerland's second-highest attendance for the year outside of the Euros itself.
The Swiss FA confirmed the positive trend, stating, "We are seeing a steady increase in interest and attendance figures for our matches. We will now be looking at ways of improving the fan experience for the World Cup qualifiers." Sanginés points to a broader societal challenge: "We saw at the Euros, it was so nice. The atmosphere was super friendly, super welcoming. But then a lot of those people [now] stay at home on a Saturday afternoon... People need to go to the matches. It's the same for the companies. If you have been a sponsor for the Euros now might also be the time to be sponsoring a local club."
Women's Football Talking Points
Kerr's Impactful Return: Sam Kerr made her first start for Chelsea in 692 days following an ACL injury, scoring twice in a 6-0 Champions League win over St Pölten. Manager Sonia Bompastor hailed the return of the Australian striker as "really positive news" for the busy schedule ahead.
Greenwood's City Commitment: Manchester City defender Alex Greenwood has signed a contract extension until 2027, declaring she has "unfinished business" and that the club feels "like home."
Atlanta Joins NWSL: The National Women's Soccer League has confirmed Atlanta will become its 17th franchise in 2028, backed by a $165m investment from Arthur Blank.
Quote of the Day: Chelsea midfielder Keira Walsh commented on the spate of ACL injuries in the women's game, stating, "Maybe sometimes we do play too many games in a congested fixture schedule... You need to listen to the ones going through it and how we can best find the solutions."
