Arts & Culture

Women Football: fun facts about the UEFA Women’s EURO and Women’s World Cup

From sold-out stadiums in Europe to billions of football fans tuning in worldwide, women’s football has skyrocketed into the global spotlight.

As we look forward to the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 and reflect on the excitement of past FIFA Women’s World Cups, it’s the perfect time to celebrate the passion and milestones that make women’s football truly memorable.

Here are some of the most fascinating—and fun—facts about the sport’s two biggest tournaments!

FIFA Women’s World Cup: Weird and Wonderful Facts

  1. The FIFA Women’s World Cup is the most prestigious international women’s football tournament.
  2. The tournament takes place every four years and features national teams from all over the world.
  3. The United States has won the most Women’s World Cup titles, with four championships (1991, 1999, 2015, 2019).
  4. Marta Vieira da Silva, commonly known as Marta, holds the record for the most goals scored in Women’s World Cup history, with 17 goals.
  5. Only three countries have ever won the Women’s World Cup – the United States, Germany, and Norway.
  6. The 1999 Women’s World Cup final between the United States and China remains the highest-attended women’s sports event globally.
  7. The tournament expanded from 16 teams to 24 teams starting from the 2015 edition.
  8. The oldest player to participate in a Women’s World Cup was Christie Rampone from the United States, who was 40 years and 11 days old in 2015.
  9. Birgit Prinz from Germany is the only player to have won the FIFA Women’s World Cup Golden Boot (top goal scorer) twice, in 2003 and 2007.
  10. The current reigning champions, the United States, also set a record for the most goals scored by a team in a single tournament with 26 goals in 2019.
  11. The most goals scored in a single match was 10, achieved twice – by Germany against Argentina in 2007 and by Sweden against Thailand in 2019.
  12. The youngest player to ever participate in a Women’s World Cup was Fatoumata Diarra from Mali, who was 13 years and 330 days old in 2007.
  13. The first Women’s World Cup was held in 1991 and had 12 participating teams.
  14. The tournament has seen increased media coverage and popularity with each edition, leading to greater recognition for women’s football globally.
  15. The trophy is called the FIFA Women’s World Cup trophy and was redesigned for the 2019 edition to better represent the athleticism, skill, and determination of women’s footballers.
  16. Currently happening across both Australia and New Zealand, the final will take place on 20 August 2023 at Stadium Australia in Sydney.

UEFA Women’s EURO: Fascinating Facts & Firsts

The UEFA Women’s European Championship may be a regional tournament, but its impact on women’s football is global. Here are some incredible facts to celebrate the rise of the Lionesses and their European rivals:

  1. The tournament began in 1984, with Sweden winning the inaugural edition via penalty shootout.
  2. The 2022 final at Wembley drew 87,192 fans, the largest ever for any EURO final (men’s or women’s).
  3. The Lionesses claimed their first major title in 2022, beating Germany 2–1 and igniting national pride.
  4. Following the 2022 win, the team wrote an open letter to the UK government urging equal access to football for girls in schools.
  5. The 2022 tournament reached 365 million people globally—a milestone for women’s sport in Europe.
  6. Switzerland will host the next edition in eight cities, including Zurich, Basel, and Bern.
  7. Many players in the EUROs are university graduates, highlighting the growing balance between academics and elite sport.
  8. UEFA doubled the prize money in 2022 to €16 million, a sign of increasing investment and recognition.
  9. Germany remains the most decorated team, with 8 titles to their name.

Click here for more information about the Lionesses and the Women’s UEFA Euro Cup 2025’s next games!

Group Stage (July 2–13)

DateFixtureKick-off (BST)Venue
July 2Iceland vs Finland17:00Thun
July 2Switzerland vs Norway20:00Basel
July 3Belgium vs Italy17:00Sion
July 3Spain vs Portugal20:00Bern
July 4Denmark vs Sweden17:00Geneva
July 4Germany vs Poland20:00St. Gallen
July 5Wales vs Netherlands17:00Lucerne
July 5France vs England20:00Zurich
July 6Norway vs Finland17:00Sion
July 6Switzerland vs Iceland20:00Bern
July 7Spain vs Belgium17:00Thun
July 7Portugal vs Italy20:00Geneva
July 8Germany vs Denmark17:00Basel
July 8Poland vs Sweden20:00Lucerne
July 9England vs Netherlands17:00Zurich
July 9France vs Wales20:00St. Gallen
July 10Finland vs Switzerland20:00Geneva
July 10Norway vs Iceland20:00Thun
July 11Italy vs Spain20:00Bern
July 11Portugal vs Belgium20:00Sion
July 12Sweden vs Germany20:00Zurich
July 12Poland vs Denmark20:00Lucerne
July 13Netherlands vs France20:00Basel
July 13England vs Wales20:00St. Gallen

Generally, if you’re into sports and plan to visit London soon, you’re in the right place. We offer exciting Stadium tours that will take you behind the scenes of the most iconic London sports venues.

Passionate about all things digital in the travel industry, Audrey, Senior Content Manager at Evan Evans, brings you the best of British culture, travel inspiration, and insights.