Rumors circulated before Women’s Euro 2025 suggesting the event might not achieve the same levels of attendance, viewership, income, and expansion as the 2022 tournament.
But as the curtain fell, andEngland won the title again.In Basel, all those concerns were forgotten. Over the past month, it’s reasonable to say that Women’s Euro 2025 clearly provided the finest European Championship in its history, both on and off the field. Indeed, this tournament was the largest of all time, and here’s why.
Stadium attendances
It was claimed that since Switzerland, the 2025 host nation, did not have a stadium larger than St. Jakob-Park, which holds 34,000 people, the tournament would have difficulty matching…2022 hosts Englandwhen it came to striking attendance figures.
However, in reality, England’s attendance numbers in 2022 were influenced by the team’s first match, which drew 68,871 fans at Old Trafford, and the final, which had aWomen’s Euro record of 87,192pack out Wembley Stadium.
The average attendance per game for Women’s Euro 2025 was 21,203, up from 18,544 in 2022 (14,441 if you exclude Old Trafford and Wembley). The number 21,203 seems like a solid benchmark to aim for when organizing the upcoming tournament in 2029.
The Women’s Euro 2025 tournament witnessed the two most-attended quarterfinal matches in its history. The host nation received strong support during their game against Spain in Bern, with 29,734 fans present. The following day in Basel, 34,128 spectators gathered to watch France face Germany.
29 out of 31 matches in the Women’s Euro 2025 were sold out, with a total attendance of 657,291 people throughout the tournament. This marked a record, surpassing the 574,875 attendees from 2022. Some believe that the stadium capacities ranging from 8,000 to 34,000 contributed to consistent growth and an excellent fan experience.
Traveling fans
Regarding atmospheres, the rise in attendance was not the most impressive aspect; rather, it was the growing number of fans traveling from different countries. UEFA reports that approximately 65% of tickets (472,240) were purchased by fans from outside Switzerland.
This represented a significant enhancement compared to 2022, and contributed to a diverse cultural blend in how soccer is embraced across Europe.
The closeness of France and Germany to Switzerland might have contributed to the lively support across the region, but Women’s Euro 2025 will also be remembered for the festive Dutch in Lucerne, the vibrant Swedes parading through Zurich during the quarterfinals, and the nearly 15,000 English fans who occupied Basel for the final.
Prize Money
UEFA distributed a new high of €41 million ($47.3 million) as prize money during the Women’s Euro 2025 tournament. Significantly, this marked a 156% rise compared to 2022 (€16 million), and a 500% growth from 2017 (€8 million).
Each country taking part in Women’s Euro 2025 received €1.8 million, accounting for 70% of the overall prize fund. The remaining 30% will be distributed as additional rewards. This includes €50,000 for a draw and €100,000 for a victory during the group stage.
Subsequently, there were extra rewards for progressing deeper into the competition: €550,000 for reaching the quarterfinals, €700,000 for the semifinals, €850,000 for the final, and an additional €900,000 for the champion country. Altogether, England earned €5.1 million by winning the trophy in Basel.
Broadcast Figures
The Women’s Euro 2025 tournament set a new benchmark by broadcasting matches in more than 165 regions. According to UEFA, the total number of viewers worldwide exceeded 500 million throughout the competition, with 45 million people watching the final. These numbers both broke previous records.
In the United Kingdom, as reported by the BBC and ITV, 16.4 million viewers watched England defeat Spain in the 2025 final, which was just slightly lower than the 17.4 million who tuned in during the 2022 event when England was the host.
This indicates that it is challenging to keep up with the energy and enthusiasm of the host country. Nevertheless, Sunday’s final remained the second-highest viewed English women’s soccer match ever, as well as the most-watched event of 2025 in the United Kingdom.
Interestingly, the BBC reported that 1.1 million people tuned into the game on Radio 5Live through the BBC Sounds app, marking a 122% rise from 2022.
Just like in England, 14.5 million people in Germany watched the semifinal match between Germany and Spain. This marked the second-highest viewership for a German women’s soccer game ever, following the 2022 final which attracted 17.9 million viewers.
When you consider areas beyond the immediate region, there has been a significant rise in enthusiasm for the Euros. In the United States, the viewership numbers on FOX were approximately three times higher than in 2022.
During the group stage, FOX’s average viewership increased from 160,000 in 2022 to 308,000 in 2025. In the quarterfinals, the 2025 average reached 776,000 per game, compared to 283,000 in 2022. Both semifinal matches in 2025 attracted more than one million viewers, marking a 174% rise from 2022.
In terms of sustained revenue growth, attracting neutral audiences can be just as crucial for expanding a tournament as the natural surge in interest from the countries where the competing teams are based.
As a competition, it was engaging from beginning to end. Not a single match ended without a goal, as Women’s Euro 2025 set a new record for the highest number of goals scored (106) in the tournament’s history. This level of action is sure to increase viewership in the years to come.
Sustainability
As per UEFA, 86% of spectators utilized eco-friendly transportation options (such as public transportation, walking, and cycling) to reach the games—66% opted for public transit, which was provided at no additional cost with each game ticket.
Prior to the tournament beginning, UEFA focused on and studied ways to promote the use of train and bus travel for all site visits. UEFA and their Swiss broadcasting partners did not utilize any air travel throughout the entire event.
Sustainability has played a central role in Women’s Euro 2025. Switzerland served as a hub that connected various elements, while aiming for a future where soccer can contribute to cutting down waste and emissions. If Women’s Euro 2025 established a benchmark, then the 2029 event faces high expectations.
