Mastercard Economics Institute insights show impact of Arsenal Women on the local economy

• Insights from Mastercard’s Economics Institute show that the growing popularity of women’s football is mirrored by its economic impact on the local area

• During the games which Arsenal Women played at Emirates Stadium last season, spending in local bars (within 1km of the stadium) rose by as much as 44% for the game against Manchester United Women and by 16% on average across the six match days.
• Spending in restaurants also jumped compared to non-match days, rising by 15% on average and by as much as 27% during the match against Liverpool Women.
• This insight comes as Arsenal Women are set to play a minimum of 11 games at the Emirates in the 2024 / 2025 season

Women’s football has gone from strength to strength in the U.K. over recent years, with new insights from Mastercard’s Economics Institute revealing that Arsenal Women supporters are toasting to the team’s success in more ways than one.  

Over the six games which Arsenal Women played at the Emirates in the 2023 / 2024 season, spend in bars in the local area rose by 16% on average, whilst spend on restaurants rose by 15% on average compared to non-match days.

This impact was particularly pronounced during games where rivalries drove even greater spend. The comparative growth in local bar spend was as high as 44% against Manchester United Women, 31% against Tottenham Hotspur Women, 25% against Chelsea Women and 22% against Liverpool Women.

In terms of restaurant spend, the greatest impact was seen against Liverpool where it rose 27%, followed by Chelsea at 22% and both Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester Women at 18%.

Mastercard’s ‘Experience Economy’ insights recently revealed that 50% of British consumers are set to spend more on experiences this year compared to 2023, and that 71% of Brits saying they are happiest when watching their football team play.

As a major sponsor of women’s football for over 25 years (and of Arsenal Women since 2019) Mastercard is proud to provide empirical evidence of the economic impact women’s football can bring. Supporters are not only watching in record numbers on television, but are showing up and selling out stadiums across the U.K.  

Supporters are set to continue prioritising spending on live experiences and, with more home games at the Emirates than ever this coming season, local businesses should be cheering just as loudly as Arsenal’s supporters.

Natalia Lechmanova, chief economist, Europe, at Mastercard Economics Institute, said: “In today’s “experience economy”, interest in sports tournaments and other live events continues to grow. Football remains the most popular sport globally, and in recent years we have seen a growing interest in women’s football in particular. Our event analysis of Arsenal Women’s games played in the UK last season showed that the matches significantly lifted the bar and restaurant spend within 1km of the stadium by 16% and 15%, respectively. Those are impressive figures, and we look forward to seeing what the next season brings!”

Juliet Slot, Arsenal’s Chief Commercial Officer, said: “Mastercard has been part of our women’s team journey for more than five years and during this time we’ve seen an extraordinary increase in our matchday attendances, especially at Emirates Stadium.

“Last season, our average attendance across six WSL games at the Emirates was more than 52,000, and this research brings to light the shared pride that’s felt across our club and our local community as we continue to grow the women’s game.  

“This season, we take another step forward with 11 women’s matches coming to Emirates Stadium, making it the main home of our women’s team. We want to bring even more supporters to Islington to connect with our home and drive our team forwards.”

Islington Councillor Santiago Bell-Bradford, Executive Member for Inclusive Economy, Culture & Jobs said: “Our ambition is to create a more equal Islington, and we believe that to achieve that, we must also create a more equal local economy, where wealth is shared more fairly, and residents and businesses have a genuine stake in their local community. 

"Local spending is the lifeblood of our economy, and events like Arsenal Women's games in our borough show the power of community-driven growth. The significant increase in spending at local bars and restaurants not only boosts businesses but strengthens the entire borough. Supporting local enterprises helps create jobs, build a more inclusive economy, and ensure that prosperity benefits everyone in Islington.”