Stadium attendance in first-class women’s football: a quantitative analysis of the German women’s Bundesliga

This study examines factors associated with interest in women’s football and repeated stadium attendance in the German Women’s Bundesliga (FBL). We conducted an online survey of 3,115 participants, complemented by on-site recruitment at all twelve FBL clubs. The findings show that age, interest in women’s football, travel distance, advance ticket purchasing, and fandom are among the strongest correlates of attendance frequency. Interest in women’s football is, in turn, strongly associated with perceived attraction, sporting quality, support for women’s football, and interaction with players. The findings further indicate heterogeneous consumption patterns among family-oriented and socially motivated spectators, whose lower average attendance frequency should not be equated with lower loyalty or limited long-term value. The study contributes empirical evidence on spectator behaviour in German women’s football and provides implications for clubs and governing bodies seeking to strengthen supporter engagement and repeated attendance.