Euro 2022, FIFA 23, sold-out Camp Nou: The top 7 women's football moments in 2022 | OneFootball

With 2023 nearly upon us, it’s time to reflect back on the past 12 months in women’s football.

There have undoubtedly been some low points – the shocking number of high-profile players with ACL injuries and the NWSL abuse scandal to name a couple.

But by large, it has been a monumental year for women’s football across the world, with records shattered and new milestones set.

To celebrate this historic year, GiveMeSport Women has listed the top seven moments in women’s football in 2022.

Attendance records smashed

In 2022, attendance records for women’s football matches were broken across the world.

A new Women’s Super League attendance record was set when 47,367 spectators watched Arsenal beat Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates Stadium, while an encounter between Angel City FC and San Diego Wave set a NWSL attendance record of 32,000.

International football also brought in the crowds, with a new European Championship final attendance record set of 87,192 spectators. A record 45,562 fans also attended the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final.

Stéphanie Frappart becomes first woman to referee World Cup match

Ok, technically this wasn’t women’s football, but GiveMeSport Women is all about celebrating women in football too.

Stéphanie Frappart became the first woman to referee a men’s World Cup match, taking charge of Germany’s crucial Group E clash against Costa Rica at this year’s tournament in Qatar.

The Frenchwoman was joined by assistant referees Neuza Back of Brazil and Mexico’s Karen Díaz Medina, making it the first all-female officiating team at a men’s World Cup.

Keira Walsh becomes the world’s most expensive women’s football player

Fresh off a dominant performance at Euro 2022, Keira Walsh caught the attention of Barcelona and became the most expensive player in the history of women’s football.

The deal was reportedly in excess of £350,000, a great deal more than the £250,000 paid by Chelsea for Wolfsburg’s Pernille Harder in 2020.

With female players now more highly valued than ever, it shouldn’t be too long until the transfer fee record is smashed again.

Inclusion of women’s football on FIFA 23

EA Sports announced in July that women’s club teams would be added to FIFA for the first time ever.

Teams from the Women’s Super League in England, including Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United, and teams from Division 1 Féminine in France, including Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon, are now available on the game.

Sam Kerr also became the game’s first ever female global cover star, appearing alongside Kylian Mbappé.

USWNT win equal pay battle

The United States women’s national soccer team ended a six-year battle over equal pay, finally reaching a settlement with US Soccer in February and receiving a compensatory sum of money.

The USMNT and USWNT then signed a new collective bargaining agreement in May, agreeing to pool together their World Cup prize money and split it evenly.

This saw the women’s team receive a payout after their male counterparts reached the round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup.

Camp Nou sell outs

If anyone is still claiming that no one cares about women’s football, then point them towards the two Champions League matches which took place at Camp Nou in 2022.

The world record attendance for a women’s football game was set in March when 91,553 watched Barcelona defeat Real Madrid 5-2 on their way to the Champions League semi-finals.

the record was broken again as Barcelona hosted Wolfsburg and triumphed 5-1 in front of an astonishing 91,648 spectators.

England win Euro 2022

England’s victory at Euro 2022, secured after a 2-1 win over Germany at Wembley, was colossal for women’s football in the UK. The Lionesses inspired millions and are now household names.

The occasion also had a knock-on effect around the world, however, with the profile of female players rocketing and attendance figures rising.

The scenes at Wembley, which was packed out with 87,192 fans, was the ultimate showpiece for women’s football. Bring on the 2023 and the Women’s World Cup!