Two years ago, filling a hockey arena for a women’s game outside the Olympics would have sounded ambitious. Now it happens almost monthly.
The Professional Women’s Hockey League is the clearest example. Since its 2024 launch, the PWHL has broken the U.S. arena attendance record for women’s hockey eight separate times. Seattle’s Torrent drew 16,014 fans for their inaugural home opener in November 2025, and that mark was topped again in February 2026 when 17,335 fans packed the arena for a regular home date. The league’s neutral-site Takeover Tour has been just as popular, with 17,228 fans turning out at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. in January alone.
Soccer Is Setting Records Too
The NWSL is riding a similar wave. Expansion side Denver Summit FC drew 63,004 fans to its home opener in March 2026, smashing the previous NWSL single-match record by more than 20,000 tickets. It’s one of several storylines we cover in our roundup of women’s sports breaking attendance records.
- NWSL crossed two million total season attendance for the first time in its history
- The WNBA is celebrating its 30th season in 2026, with expansion continuing to fuel demand
- The Women’s Six Nations rugby final drew a competition-record 77,120 fans in 2026
Why the Growth Is Sticking
Unlike short-lived spikes tied to a single tournament, this growth spans leagues and continents. Broadcast deals have expanded, ticket prices remain accessible compared with men’s top-flight sport, and a new generation of fans is choosing loyalty to specific clubs rather than just national teams. For a sense of how that plays out on the pitch this month, see our breakdown of the biggest women’s football matches this month.
Expect the trend to continue. New PWHL franchises, NWSL expansion markets, and rugby unions investing in professional women’s set-ups all point toward a fanbase that is still expanding rather than plateauing. If you want to see which clubs are leading the charge on the field, check our list of women’s sports teams dominating 2026.