Women’s soccer attendance record shattered: Barcelona Femeni breaks own record in Champions League vs. Wolfsburg

Barcelona Femeni and Real Madrid Femenino shattered all available records for attendance at a women’s soccer match less than a month ago, and now Barcelona has done it again. 

After 91,553 people watched Barcelona Femeni take down Real Madrid in an El Clasico edition of the Champions League quarterfinals, the Catalan side broke its own record in the first leg its semifinal match against Wolfsburg.

Barcelona treated the fans to a show, obliterating its German opponents 5-1 thanks to four first-half goals. Ballon d’Or holder Alexia Putellas bagged a brace in the match, and fellow Spanish star Jennifer Hermoso was also on the scoresheeet.

Prior to the El Clasico game, life-long Barcelona fan and star player Alexia Putellas has told the media of what a momentous evening the record-setting atmosphere will be for women’s football, stating “The game (Barcelona vs Madrid) can open so many doors for so many girls and I feel proud Barca makes it possible”.

It is very possible that these fixtures could bring around a new era for women’s football around the world, one that should be celebrated in every way possible. 

We did it again! 🆕 WORLD RECORD! pic.twitter.com/IQMABN7akk

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) April 22, 2022

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Barcelona vs Real Madrid shatters the old record

While the old record has been broken in a matter of weeks, the El Clasico match that shattered the previous mark should be remembered.

Prior to the Champions League meeting between Barcelona and Real Madrid, nobody in world football had topped the 80,203 set at both the Rose Bowl and Wembley Stadium for international games involving the United States. The new record obliterated that number by over 11,000 people.

Undoubtedly, Real Madrid went into the clash as outsiders, trailing 3-1 after the first leg, and Barcelona poured on the goals as it finished 5-2, leaving Barcelona as 8-3 aggregate winners.

Domestically, Barcelona has the upper hand on their greatest rivals, as they currently sit a gargantuan 22 points clear at the top of the Women’s Spanish Primera Division having already wrapped up the 2021/22 title. On the other hand, Real Madrid sits in fourth and will be hoping to climb the table and secure Champions League qualification for the forthcoming 2022/23 campaign.

Time to edit the Guinness Book pic.twitter.com/C86Ox5BapY

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 30, 2022

Record attendance in women’s football

Previously, Barcelona was involved in breaking one of the previous attendance records for women’s football at club level, when they were involved in a match with Atletico Madrid that saw over 60,000 spectators attend the Wanda Metropolitano in 2019. 

‣ 90,185 in 1999 at the Rose Bowl
‣ 91,553 today at Camp Nou

Let’s keep it growing 🏟👏⚽️ https://t.co/N7SrqLTcV5 pic.twitter.com/NGG1K6yrSn

— U.S. Soccer WNT (@USWNT) March 30, 2022

The table below shows the crowds that the El Clasico has managed to exceed in order to break the record and become the best-attended women’s football match on record. 

Source