One week, two (very different) matches
Wembley, Sunday 31st July 2022
Sunday 31st July 2022. A date that will go down in the history books for followers of women’s football in England. A European final at Wembley. I was lucky enough to be there, easily buying a ticket over a year ago for £15, before we knew who would contest the final. England vs Germany at Wembley was a massive bonus, it doesn’t get much more historic than that.
Thursday 4th August 2022. A date that will go down in the history books for followers of Dundee United. The team were playing in their first European fixture for a decade after finishing fourth in the Scottish Premiership last season. I was also lucky enough to attend this match (£13, in case you were wondering). The first of a two-leg contest against Dutch side AZ Alkmaar.
These two matches couldn’t have been much more different. I’ve followed, played, and attended football matches since I was 5 years old, but have only been going to women’s matches for about three years. I’ve seen a fair amount of criticism on social media about the atmosphere (or apparent lack of) at women’s games. When comparing the two fixtures this week, the atmospheres were poles apart. At the women’s Euro final on Sunday, the vibe was one of pure joy. This will have been heightened by the fact England were involved, but supporters from all over Europe were wearing the jerseys of their country and looked so excited to be a part of the occasion. Fans were coming up to us in Wembley Park looking to take selfies, and our hotel was abuzz with excitement and anticipation in the lead up to the game. Considering it was the final of a major tournament, there was not a single drop of hostility, fans were mixing, families had young children, nobody was uncomfortably intoxicated, and there were so many women. It was warm, friendly and, possibly most importantly, accessible. I think my mum would have enjoyed it, and she’s literally never come to the football with me.
Outside Tannadice Park, Thursday 4th August 2022
Fast forward to Thursday at Tannadice. There was also a great deal of excitement and anticipation in the lead up to this one, with United being involved in European football for the first time since I started following the team. We parked our car around a ten-minute walk from the stadium, and were instantly greeted with a strong police presence (many of them on horseback), smoke bombs, people drinking in the street, and a lot of noise. The atmosphere was like a carnival, the parade to Tannadice was like nothing I’ve seen before in Dundee. I did notice one thing as I was marching with the crowd towards the stadium: the distinct lack of women! The vibe here felt tribal, very stereotypically masculine. So, so different from the game in London a few days earlier.
I enjoy football for football, and for me the gender of the players is irrelevant. The feel of the occasions though is vastly different. It was almost as if the women’s game was the perfect accessible in for non-football fans. The perfect way to get into the game, particularly for young girls and women who could feel excluded from the masculine nature of the crowd at some men’s games. As I mentioned above, I’ve been playing and following football for years, but these two fixtures really stood out for me. Both massive occasions for all involved, but two hugely different experiences for me as a fan.
