Euro 2022: Netherlands v Sweden sees another record crowd as fans descend on Yorkshire

Crowds descended on the home city of football, Sheffield, with the city centre full of celebrations before a record-breaking number of people attended the match at Bramall Lane as Netherlands took on Sweden.

A total of 21,342 showed up to watch two of the favourites in the finals achieve a thrilling 1-1 draw, the most ever at a game not involving the host nation, other than a final.

Attendees were not disappointed as the electric atmosphere continued from the build-up with Sweden dominating the first half and the Dutch fighting back in the second half.

With the tournament being played this summer across England and two sites in Yorkshire; Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane and Rotherham United’s New York Stadium, we asked women how important it is to see women’s football in the region.

Indira Mwale who attended the match on Saturday night (July 9) with her daughter had campaigned for a girls football team as a child in Kirklees.

She said: “It is so important to be here with my daughter and see so many women here celebrating the sport.

“It’s an incredible vibe with so many people here partying, such a buzzing atmosphere.”

Lecturer Leigh Downes, 39, who attended the match after receiving a last minute spare ticket from her Dutch friend Michael, said: “It’s great to see such a variety of women, non-binary and men here, it’s really inclusive.

“It’s very very important that women’s football has a much higher platform.”

The tournament continues in Yorkshire tonight (Jul 10) as France play Italy in Rotherham at 8pm.

UEFA Women's Euro records so far

The record books have been rewritten after a crowd of 68,781 turned out to watch hosts England edge a 1-0 win against Austria in the opening game of UEFA Women's EURO 2022.

The attendance is the highest in the finals history, elevating the mark of 41,301 set when Germany beat Norway in the 2013 final in Sweden, though is likely to be beaten on 31 July by the Wembley final. The previous record for a group game was 29,092: England's 3-2 victory over Finland at the nearby City of Manchester Stadium in 2005.

Another record went two days later as 16,819 watched Spain beat Finland in Milton Keynes, the most ever at a game not involving the host nation, other than a final. That record stood for 24 hours, until 21,342 showed up in Sheffield for Netherlands vs Sweden.