While the USWNT’s TV ratings may have dropped 10% in 2022, that was not the case with their attendance. USWNT attendance in 2022 was up compared to 2021. In fact, it was their best year in the stands since 2019. And that does include 2020, when they were able to play 8 home games prior to the worldwide COVID shutdown.

2022 USWNT attendance

Here’s how the crowds break down:

DateCompetitionMatch-UpStadiumAttendance
February 17She Believes CupUSA vs. Czech RepublicDignity Health Sports Park7,333
February 20She Believes CupUSA vs. New ZealandDignity Health Sports Park16,587
February 23She Believes CupUSA vs. IcelandToyota Stadium7,444
April 9FriendlyUSA vs. UzbekistanLower.com Field12,071
April 12FriendlyUSA vs. UzbekistanSubaru Park11,373
June 25FriendlyUSA vs. ColombiaDick’s Sporting Goods Park17,143
June 28FriendlyUSA vs. ColombiaAmerica First Field16,077
September 3FriendlyUSA vs. NigeriaChildren’s Mercy Park14,502
September 6FriendlyUSA vs. NigeriaAudi Field18,869
November 10FriendlyUSA vs. GermanyDRV PNK Stadium16,917
November 13FriendlyUSA vs. GermanyRed Bull Arena26,317

Best attendance since 2019

In 2022, the USWNT totaled 164,633 fans over the course of eleven games. That averages 14,967 fans per game. That’s the highest since 2019 when, coming off a Women’s World Cup title, they totaled 376,834 fans over 15 home games for an average of 25,122 per game.

USWNT attendance in 2022 was also up 18% from 2021, when they averaged 12,703 per game through 14 home games. However, it is surprisingly still 30% lower than what the USMNT averaged this year, their worst attendance since 2006. But perhaps more importantly, it is higher than at the same stage in the previous cycle when they averaged 14,064 per game in 2018.

Location variety

While it’s been well documented how US Soccer has the USMNT play all their games in the same few select stadiums, that has not been an issue of late for the USWNT. In 2022 they only played in one stadium that they made an appearance at in 2021. That was Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City. Furthermore, only two of the stadiums they played at in 2022 were used in 2020: Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA and Red Bull Arena in the New York area. That means that seven of the eleven games played by the USWNT were played in venues where they made not made an appearance in several years.

Women’s World Cup

Much like the USMNT sees an attendance bump in the year following the World Cup, the USWNT usually sees their bump the year of the Women’s World Cup. 2011 saw a 100% increase from 2010, up to 11,645 from 5,784. The jump in 2015 was even greater as it rose a staggering 157% from 10,791 up to 27,766. And in 2019 it was more of the same as the increase was 79% from 14,064 in 2018 to 25,122 the next year.

Next year’s Women’s World Cup is in Australia and New Zealand. If they accomplish the three-peat, there’s no telling how big the crowds will be when they have their victory tour.