Whilst many women's soccer teams in England play their home games at a local lower division club's ground, Southampton is one of the exceptions. They play all of their home matches at St. Mary's. Only the likes of Arsenal and Charlton Athletic also manage to do this.
Southamptons decision to use St. Mary's is paying off, with a record crowd set to attend this weekend.
According to the Southern Daily Echo, "The South Coast derby at St Mary’s has reached over 5,500 ticket sales." Southampton play rivals Portsmouth in a WSL 2 match this Saturday, 5:30 kick-off UK time.
The previous record attendance was 5,666 in last season's South Coast derby fixture at St Mary's, a match which the Saints won 1-0. A difference to the last campaign's encounter is that fans will now be allowed to drink alcohol in the stands. Whilst this will be good for fans of the drinking age, many supporters who attend women's soccer games go with their young families.
Women's soccer is growing on the South Coast
It is FA Cup weekend in men's soccer. Also, Southampton's men's side is playing Doncaster Rovers away from home.
Ticket prices of just £10 for adults, £5 for 18-25 year olds, and £4 for U18s make it very affordable to go. There are also special offers for groups that include U18s going free. Often, youth soccer is played on Saturday mornings, which allows plenty of time for local players to get to St. Mary's.
Women's soccer has also been on the up since the success of the England Lionesses. Sarina Wiegman has led England to back-to-back European Championship success. The victory at home in 2022 inspired a new generation of women's soccer fans in England.
Southampton Women are currently seventh in the WSL 2. It is a very difficult division to gain promotion from, as just two sides gain automatic promotion. As for Portsmouth, they are 11th in the division of 12, with the bottom side being relegated. They are currently five points above Ipswich Town, who are at the foot of the table.
Southampton usually gets the better of Portsmouth in South Coast derbies on the women's side; if they win this weekend, it will be 10 on the bounce for the Saints.