More than nine million TV viewers watched on BBC as England beat Spain
(Picture: REUTERS)Euros fever is gripping the nation thanks to the Lionesses’ exploits — with tickets for the semi-final clash on sale for £1,000 and a record TV audience on the cards.
England are set to face Sweden in the last four after their dramatic comeback to win 2-1 in the quarter-finals on Wednesday dumped Spain out of the tournament.
Tickets for the game at Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane ground on Tuesday, originally priced from £15 to £50, have now rocketed on ticketing sites to as much as £1,019.
Most seats for the game at the 32,050 capacity ground were sold before the tournament began but an extra 2,000 released after England’s win were snapped up in less than 10 minutes.
Around 5,000 people are also expected in Trafalgar Square which will be a free fan park for the semi-final.
The popularity of the tournament has been reflected in huge viewing figures. More than nine million people watched on BBC as England played Spain, with Georgia Stanway’s strike securing victory, and audience figures are expected to rise again for the semi-final.
The highest peak television audience for women’s football in the UK is 11.7 million for England’s 2019 World Cup semi-final defeat by the United States. That record could be broken on Tuesday — and again should Sarina Wiegman’s side reach the final. Tickets for the final at Wembley on Sunday July 31 are selling for up to £850.
The 2022 finals already boast the highest attendance figures for a Women’s Euros, after the 240,055 mark set at the 2017 finals in the Netherlands was passed in the group stages.
There was a record-breaking attendance of 68,871 for England’s opening match in the tournament, a 1-0 win over Austria at Old Trafford. That record is also likely to be broken again for the final.
Team captain Leah Williamson, whose Instagram following has shot up to 377,000 since the start of the tournament, said the team appreciated the huge crowds, with the atmosphere at their first game at Old Trafford “probably the best we’ve had”.
Describing the quarter-final win over Spain, the Arsenal Ladies star told a Lionesses Live online chat: “It was a crazy game but they stuck with us the whole way and I don’t think I saw a Mexican wave which is a sign everybody was enjoying it.”
The Lionesses, who will compete in their fourth consecutive semi-final in a major tournament, are favourites to lift the trophy for the first time. They lost in the Euros final in 1984 and 2009.
