Women’s soccer has taken a huge step forward and upward in Scotland

A season of record-breaking women’s soccer crowds and media interest in Scotland

Record crowds have become a habit over recent weeks. Celtic and Rangers have both switched critical women’s soccer matches to their main club stadium meaning terrific atmospheres to back their sides in front of big attendances.

Celtic’s final game against Hearts takes top place with a 15,822 crowd. This is the first season for official attendance records for the SWPL, though the league says that anecdotally individual clubs are reporting increases.

Those bigger crowds, along with the exciting end to the league and the ongoing traditional rivalry between Celtic and Rangers as football clubs at all levels have driven greater additional involvement for women’s soccer from followers of their men’s team.

That’s all spread to online fan forums and social media too with the SWPL reporting over 10 million impressions on social media.  There was quite a boost to those numbers after a post-match incident captured by TV cameras went viral online afterward. The SWPL has used Twitter to share its own review of the record-breaking season.

The TV cameras are very relevant too, this season saw SkySports broadcast their first live SWPL matches giving women’s soccer a further audience boost. The BBC was also keen to be involved and broadcast the critical season-end games and the Scottish Cup final amongst others.

Perhaps more importantly this has attracted more young girls and women to the game and shown that the door is very much open for them as fans and as players. Celtic captain Kelly Clark reflected on that point and the record attendance with the BBC after the Scottish Cup final.

"“It’s amazing that it includes a crowd with lots and lots of little girls, who can see what they can do in Scotland. This year, for women’s football has been unbelievable and I hope it just keeps going and going.”"