Arsenal Women moved to Emirates Stadium as part of a broader investment wave in women's soccer, following the club's decision to host four WSL matches there in 2023-24 that drew an average crowd of more than 52,000. The move reflects a growing trend of top clubs allocating resources to women's teams amid a broader debate about profitability and investment in the sport.
Arsenal's Strategic Move
Arsenal’s decision to designate Emirates Stadium as the main home of the women's side was a leap of faith taken in 2024. The club moved four WSL fixtures to the 60,000-plus capacity venue during the 2023-24 season, achieving two sellouts and setting three league attendance records. The move follows a broader trend of clubs using men's stadiums full-time and enjoying growing revenue streams.
Reality Behind the Screen
The fictional AFC Richmond women’s team in Apple TV’s "Ted Lasso" dramatizes the persistent skepticism that has shaped perceptions of women's soccer for decades. Comments such as “Why are we wasting money on this?” and the “Higgins Report” echo real challenges: delayed kits, inadequate locker rooms, and difficulty securing sponsors. While the show exaggerates, the underlying issues mirror reality for many clubs that lack dedicated facilities.
Financial Landscape of Women's Soccer
The second tier of English women’s soccer only became fully professional in the 2025-26 season. Before that, players had to keep day jobs. WSL2’s financial fragility is evident in Blackburn Rovers’ 2024-25 season, where the team finished 10th but was demoted after its owner declined to meet the financial requirements for players, infrastructure and staff. The gap between the top of WSL2 and the bottom of WSL has historically been precarious, with the financial buy-in required to compete often outweighing the pay-off for most owners.
In the United States, Kansas City Current spent $140 million to build a privately funded stadium two years after opening an $18 million, 17,000-square-foot training centre. Meanwhile, Deloitte’s 2026 Football Money League reports that the 15 highest-revenue women’s clubs generated a combined €158 million ($185 m) in 2024-25, with commercial revenue accounting for 72 percent of the total.
The investment boom in women’s soccer is beginning to test these limits. Rather than expecting profitability before investment, a new generation of owners is betting that with the right investment, revenue will follow. In 2024, Arsenal’s move to Emirates Stadium exemplifies this shift, as the club leverages its infrastructure to support the growing audience for women’s soccer.
The shift to Emirates marks a milestone for Arsenal Women as they continue to build a stronger presence in the WSL.
