Marseille, France – A new attendance record for the French women’s top flight was set on matchday 19 as Olympique Marseille hosted Montpellier at the iconic Stade Vélodrome. More than 35,000 spectators witnessed the match, signaling a significant surge in popularity for women’s football in France.
The crowd surpassed the previous record of 30,661, which was established during a clash between Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain on November 16, 2019. This milestone is particularly noteworthy given that neither team involved in Sunday’s match was positioned at the top of the league table. Montpellier currently occupies the bottom spot in the standings, while Olympique Marseille’s women’s team sits ninth out of twelve teams.
This was the first time Olympique Marseille’s women’s team had played at the Stade Vélodrome, a multi-purpose stadium with a capacity of 67,394, and home to the men’s team, Olympique de Marseille. The Orange Vélodrome, as it’s officially known since 2016, opened in 1937 and has hosted major international events, including matches during the 1938 and 1998 FIFA World Cups, and the UEFA European Championship in 1960, 1984, and 2016. The club offered free tickets for the occasion, contributing to the impressive turnout.
Despite the enthusiastic support from the stands, Marseille ultimately fell to Montpellier with a final score of 1-2. The result underscores that attendance figures aren’t necessarily tied to competitive stakes; rather, they reflect a broader appetite for the women’s game. The growing interest in women’s football is evident in the fact that records are being broken regularly – whether in salaries, transfer fees, or attendance figures.
While this new record is a significant achievement for the French league, it still falls short of the all-time attendance record for a women’s club match in France. That mark stands at 43,254, set during a Champions League encounter between Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon in 2022 at the Parc des Princes.
The Stade Vélodrome’s capacity of 67,394, as noted in Wikipedia, demonstrates the potential for even larger crowds at women’s matches in the future. The stadium too occasionally hosts RC Toulon rugby club and matches for the France national football and rugby union teams.
The increase in attendance aligns with a global trend of rising popularity for women’s football. Increased media coverage, investment in player development, and growing visibility of professional leagues are all contributing factors. The success of the recent Women’s World Cup, for example, has undoubtedly spurred further interest in the sport.
Looking ahead, Olympique Marseille will face OGC Nice on April 26, 2026, at the Orange Vélodrome in a Ligue 1 McDonald’s match. Ticket information is available on the Olympique Marseille official ticketing website. Whether this momentum will translate into consistently high attendance figures remains to be seen, but the record-breaking crowd at the Vélodrome is a clear indication that the future of women’s football in France is bright.
The event highlights a pivotal moment for the sport in France, demonstrating a growing commitment to supporting and celebrating women’s football at all levels. It will be interesting to observe if this trend continues and if other clubs follow suit by hosting women’s matches in larger venues.
