For the first time in their history, Manchester United Women are to play at Old Trafford.
Next week the side will take to the pitch at the Theatre of Dreams for their WSL game against West Ham United. A gap in the men’s schedule has allowed Casey Stoney and her team to use the stadium for what is an important matchup.
United claimed victory last time out against relegation threatened Aston Villa. A win against West Ham is crucial with Arsenal not fair behind in the race for the European spots.
They usually play their games at Leigh Sports Village, which is also used by the U23 side. The game is scheduled to kick off on Saturday 27 March at 11:30am.
Manager Casey Stoney said: “Playing at Old Trafford will obviously be a special moment in the history of this team and it’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase the women’s game.”
This isn’t the first time that a WSL match has been hosted at a big stadium, with the Manchester Derby being played at the Etihad Stadium in front of fans back in 2019.
Collette Roche, Chief Operating Officer said: “We are thrilled to be hosting our women’s team at Old Trafford.
“The international break this month has created a gap in this season’s programme and we all agreed that this was the right time to welcome Casey and her squad to Old Trafford.”
Not only is this an historic feat, but it solidifies the club’s commitment to the development of women’s football.
Manchester will play host to the Women’s Euro 2022 competition next summer, with games being played at both Old Trafford, Leigh Sports Village and the Academy Stadium. The tournament will be hosted across England and will provide huge exposure for the women’s game.
Main photo credit: HonorTheKing, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
