Manchester United proudly announced in the days leading up to Arsenal‘s visit to Leigh that 9,000 had been sold for the fixture between the ambitious Red Devils and the reigning European champions. On the day, that translated into 8,665 fans going through the turnstiles, meaning a new club record for a women’s game at the stadium, the primary home of the team. Neither set of fans went home fully satisified, watching a 0-0 draw that saw plenty of midfield action and creativity, but few really clear chances.
Every time United have hosted Arsenal at Leigh Sports Village in the last three seasons, more than 8,000 people have attended. Each one, in 2023-24 (8,312), 2024-25 (8,348) and now 2025-26 (8,665), has represented a new record for the club. Intriguingly, games that United have hosted at the stadium against other rivals like Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool are yet to break through the 8,000 barrier. A competitive rivalry against Arsenal has been brewing for a number of seasons, usually competing for the same places in the league table, adding to the appeal, while Gunners fans also deserve credit for typically travelling in bigger numbers than any other visiting side – even those that are geographically closer.
With an official capacity of 12,000, Leigh Sports Village is the largest stadium in the WSL that is not also the primary home for a Premeir League team or a club’s male counterpart – i.e not Old Trafford, Emirates Stadium, Stamford Bridge, etc. By welcoming 8,665 fans on Sunday, United broke their own record for the league’s biggest attendance for a game played outside one of those men’s football stadiums.
As it stands, United have two WSL games this season planned for Old Trafford – against Aston Villa on November 8 and Manchester City on March 29. Last term, apathy off the back of a disappointing 2023-24 campaign saw just 8,761 people watch an opening fixture against West Ham at the famous stadium, nicknamed the Theatre of Dreams. But the attendance for a Manchester derby towards the end of 2024/25 later exceeded 31,000. United’s overall club attendance record for a women’s game stands at 43,615, also from a Manchester derby, in November 2023.
