Women’s EURO 2025: ‘We are on the way to a record-breaking event’
Friday, June 27, 2025
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With the opening match just five days away, UEFA director for women's football Nadine Kessler has expressed her excitement for a tournament set to elevate the game even further during a kick-off event at UEFA HQ in Nyon, Switzerland.
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"It's a huge privilege to lead this immense tournament with a huge number of incredible people. Women’s EURO is a now large-scale event, with 2,500 volunteers and over 1,400 people delivering this tournament here in Switzerland," Kessler said.
Ticket milestone
The 2025 edition has already set new records, with ticket sales having surpassed those of Women’s EURO 2022 in England before a ball has even been kicked.
"One of our key goals was to sell out the event. I remember how people laughed when we set this goal, but it's now turning into a reality," said Kessler.
"We set this goal because, for us, it’s the most genuine sign of growth, and of sustainable development. Already, 22 matches (out of 31) are sold out, and 600,000 tickets overall – and that’s without an opening match at Old Trafford or a final at Wembley."
"It is a global benchmark for any sports event, and we are ready. We can’t wait."
European women’s football's rapidly growing fanbase is demonstrated by the huge numbers of travelling fans, with 35% of tickets bought by international customers.
"Already there are 61,000 Germans, 41,000 English, 16,000 French, 15,000 Dutch and 5,000 American fans," revealed Kessler. "I think we are at 114 nationalities and that's exactly what we want – that's unheard of in women's football – and it shows we have taken the right lessons from England 2022 and are on the way to a record-breaking event."
Unstoppable progress
While Women’s EURO rightly celebrates the best of the best, Kessler also stressed the significance of the tournament as a vehicle for developing the wider women’s game – the fundamental goal of UEFA’s women’s football strategy, Unstoppable.
Notably, this year’s edition has the highest prize pot ever for a Women’s EURO – a 156% increase from 2022, to €41 million, with players to receive direct rewards for the first time and club benefits doubled to €9 million.
"We make that investment because we know of the symbolic meaning of prize money, but also because these mechanisms are for us the very symbol of solidarity," explained Kessler.
"We want everyone who contributes to the success of the tournament to be rewarded. We invest more, despite not making money from the Women’s EURO, because it’s the right thing to do. We should be super happy with the direction we are taking."
New faces speak to growth
The presence of tournament debutants Wales and Poland reflects the work being done to develop women's football across Europe, including the recently revamped qualification pathway tied into the Women’s Nations League, which saw 51 teams competing across three leagues.
"I’m really pleased to see the new qualification system is now getting almost everyone involved. That’s where development starts. This is where regular investment starts," said Kessler.
"We’re super pleased to see Poland and Wales at the final tournament. That will have a massive impact in those countries. If you look at the competition format itself, seven of the 16 spots were earnt through the play-off pathways," said Kessler. "Our job is to develop women’s football across the continent and not just in established countries."
Hosts ready to deliver
Speaking alongside Kessler were tournament ambassador Lara Dickenmann and Dominique Blanc, president of the Swiss Football Association (SFA).
Former Swiss international Dickenmann reflected on the opportunity the Women’s EURO presents to football in the country. "In 2015, the World Cup was our first final-phase tournament; I was 29 years old. Now, the youngest generation playing this tournament are 18 years old," she said.
"For the future of the game in Switzerland, this is massive. A lot of young people are going to identify with these players, they’re going to know their names, they’re going to look up to them – this will change so much for young girls and also young boys."
"Football brings people together. When we as different cultures come together, we start understanding each other better. Football has a very big reach, and I’m hoping it can play a part in making the world a little bit better."
The SFA aims to leverage the tournament to make football the leading sport for women in Switzerland, but Blanc highlighted how it is already having an impact. "In the last year, a lot of courses for females have been organised in Switzerland – for coaches, referees, for members of clubs boards – and they’ve had a lot of success. They were immediately full. When we analyse the curve of development in football, in all these sectors in Switzerland they are all taking off," said Blanc.
"It’s a great joy to welcome the football family," he added. "It’s a unique opportunity to showcase the strengths and beauty of Switzerland – not only in terms of organising football events, but also in terms of tourism and our ability to stage events of global importance. I know the host cities have done everything to welcome visitors in the best conditions, and that their stay leaves an incredible memory."