The San Diego Wave made history on Saturday night by shattering the single-game NWSL attendance record in their debut fixture at the new Snapdragon Stadium.
A sellout crowd of 32,000 fans watched as the Wave took on fellow NWSL expansion team and in-state rivals Angel City FC. The Portland Thorns held the previous record, when hosting the North Carolina Courage at Providence Park in 2019 in front of 25,218 supporters.
“It feels incredible to win for our fans, and as someone who has been involved in this game for 30 years, I’ve waited for this moment,” San Diego Wave head coach Casey Stoney told reporters after the game. “This was such a momentous occasion for women’s soccer, and I’m just so pleased to be a part of it.”
Saturday’s match also featured the largest crowd in any professional women’s soccer game in the United States since 2001.
Prior to the new venue, the San Diego wave played at Torero Stadium, which has a capacity of 6,000 spectators. Though fans filled the previous location in support of the team, Snapdragon Stadium allowed for the new San Diego Wave followers to rally.
The night paid off for the expansion team, as 17-year-old Jaedyn Reese Shaw scored the winning goal to extend the Waves’ lead atop the NWSL table. With only two regular season games left, the San Diego side is expected to be a frontrunner in the postseason.
