While retaining their title is the big aim for the Lionesses this summer, their run to the Euro 2025 final in Switzerland has already delivered a broader success – another huge uplift in visibility for the women’s game, at elite and grassroots level.
The continued progress of Sarina Wiegman’s side, who won the tournament in 2022 and reached the World Cup final a year later, has led to another increase in engagement on a range of measures.
WSL hoping to turn Lionesses fever at Euros into huge boost for domestic game
While TV viewing figures peaked at 17.4m in the run-up to the final, tickets sales for Women’s Super League games have soared and more women’s matches have been upgraded to bigger grounds, with Arsenal due to play all their home games at the Emirates Stadium next season.
But perhaps one of the biggest impacts the displays in Switzerland have had domestically is on the rise in support for grassroots football. The Lioness effect has resulted in the number of women and girls’ teams doubling – the biggest rise since the season after England beat Germany in 2022’s final.