The opening weekend of the Women's Super League season attracted almost 63,000 fans across six games as England enjoyed an unprecedented increase in crowds, building on a surge in interest in women's soccer during the World Cup.
The cumulative crowd was a 12-fold increase on the start of the 2018-19 season when 5,167 fans attended the five games before the English top flight was enlarged from 11 to 12 teams.
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Chelsea's Maren Mjelde, right, and Tottenham Hotspur's Lucy Quinn battle for the ball during the Women's Super League soccer match at Stamford Bridge, London, Sunday Sept. 8, 2019. (John WaltonPA via AP)
Chelsea's Maren Mjelde, left, and Tottenham Hotspur's Lucy Quinn battle for the ball during the Women's Super League soccer match at Stamford Bridge, London, Sunday Sept. 8, 2019. (John WaltonPA via AP)
Manchester City's Keira Walsh, right, and Manchester United's Jackie Groenen battle for the ball during the Women's Super League soccer match at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England, Saturday Sept. 7, 2019. (Nigel FrenchPA via AP)
Manchester City's Janine Beckie, right, and Manchester United's Abbie McManus battle for the ball during the Women's Super League soccer match at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England, Saturday Sept. 7, 2019. (Nigel FrenchPA via AP)
Manchester City's Aoife Mannion, left, and Manchester United's Leah Galton battle for the ball during the Women's Super League soccer match at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England, Saturday Sept. 7, 2019. (Nigel FrenchPA via AP)
The total of 62,921 was reached this weekend thanks largely to Manchester City using the Etihad Stadium and Chelsea using Stamford Bridge, rather than the smaller venues where their women's teams usually play, and men's clubs not playing during the international break.
Chelsea's Maren Mjelde, right, and Tottenham Hotspur's Lucy Quinn battle for the ball during the Women's Super League soccer match at Stamford Bridge, London, Sunday Sept. 8, 2019. (John WaltonPA via AP)
A WSL attendance record was set Saturday when 31,213 saw Manchester City beat newly promoted Manchester United 1-0. Chelsea had distributed 40,000 tickets for free for the visit of Tottenham on Sunday and 24,564 attended — still a record crowd for the west London club's women's team.
"We can be cynical about paying for tickets," Chelsea manager Emma Hayes said after her team's 1-0 win, "but I'm not going to criticize it because we've built on the momentum of the World Cup."
Bethany England's long-range strike after four minutes sealed the victory for the two-time WSL champions over a promoted Tottenham side that had eight players making their debuts. Tottenham overhauled the squad after becoming fully professional following its promotion from the second-tier Championship.
Chelsea's Maren Mjelde, left, and Tottenham Hotspur's Lucy Quinn battle for the ball during the Women's Super League soccer match at Stamford Bridge, London, Sunday Sept. 8, 2019. (John WaltonPA via AP)
"We've won a lot today, not just three points, in people's consciousness women's football will continue to grow and I'm so proud of this football club," Hayes said. "I doubt I'll ever work at a place that has pushed and pushed for women to progress like this place has."
Arsenal opened its title defense with a 2-1 victory over West Ham in front of 1,795 fans at a stadium in Boreham Wood, north of London.
The English Football Association is looking to build on the interest in the women's game that swelled as England reached the World Cup semifinals in July, losing to the United States.
Manchester City's Keira Walsh, right, and Manchester United's Jackie Groenen battle for the ball during the Women's Super League soccer match at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England, Saturday Sept. 7, 2019. (Nigel FrenchPA via AP)
"This weekend has been absolutely incredible in terms of attendance," Tottenham manager Karen Hills said.
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Manchester City's Janine Beckie, right, and Manchester United's Abbie McManus battle for the ball during the Women's Super League soccer match at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England, Saturday Sept. 7, 2019. (Nigel FrenchPA via AP)
Manchester City's Aoife Mannion, left, and Manchester United's Leah Galton battle for the ball during the Women's Super League soccer match at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England, Saturday Sept. 7, 2019. (Nigel FrenchPA via AP)
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Patriots coach Mike Vrabel talked to his team about being prepared to bleed as New England entered its first playoff game since the 2021 season.
Then, shortly after Milton Williams sacked the Chargers' Justin Herbert on Sunday night to secure the Patriots' first playoff victory in seven years, Williams celebrated with a head-butt of Vrabel.
It knocked the first-year coach backward and bloodied his lip.
“The big dogs come out in January. I think Milt took that to heart,” Vrabel said. “He came over and got me pretty good. But that’s what happens.”
Drake Maye threw a touchdown pass to Hunter Henry in the fourth quarter, and New England's defense roughed up Herbert as the Patriots beat Los Angeles 16-3 in an AFC wild-card playoff game.
Andy Borregales kicked three field goals for the Patriots (15-3), who hadn't won in the postseason since their Super Bowl victory to cap the 2018 season. They’ll host the winner of Monday night’s game between Pittsburgh and Houston in the divisional round.
In his playoff debut, Maye completed 17 of 29 passes for 268 yards and ran for a team-high 66 yards.
“We made plays when we had to do it,” Maye said.
He also threw an interception and lost a fumble, but the Chargers (11-7) couldn't capitalize on those turnovers.
New England held Los Angeles to 207 yards of offense and sacked Herbert six times, with one of those resulting in a lost fumble that set up the Patriots' TD.
“It's on us, what we do. I've been saying that all season,” Williams said. “We can control the game. If we do what we need to do up front, we're going to win.”
This is the second straight season in which the Chargers have lost in the wild-card round. Herbert finished 19 of 31 for 159 yards and was his team's leading rusher with 57 yards as he fell to 0-3 in the playoffs.
Herbert was just over a month removed from surgery to repair a broken bone in his nonthrowing hand.
“There was no issue,” Herbert said. “I just have to do a better job holding on to the ball.”
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said his quarterback wasn't 100 percent.
“He’s a warrior. He just gives it everything he has, all the time,” Harbaugh said, acknowledging that Herbert was limited by his hand injury. “It’s an issue, but he doesn’t flinch, like a warrior would.”
The last time the Chargers failed to score a TD in the playoffs was their 21-12 AFC championship game loss to the Patriots during the 2007 season.
The Patriots drove into the red zone on their first possession of the third quarter, but the drive ended when Maye was strip-sacked by Odafe Oweh and De'Shawn Hand recovered for the Chargers.
After Los Angeles punted, Maye connected on a pass to Kayshon Boutte that went for 42 yards to set the Patriots up on the Chargers 27. But New England settled for a 39-yard field goal that stretched their lead to 9-3.
Early in the fourth quarter, Maye used a 16-yard pass to Boutte and a 13-yard burst by Rhamondre Stevenson to set up his precise 28-yard TD toss to Henry that put the Patriots in front 16-3.
The Chargers picked up back-to-back first downs to open their ensuing drive. But when Herbert dropped back to pass on the next play, linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson strip-sacked him and fell on loose ball.
Los Angeles had one final possession, but it ended with Herbert getting sacked by Williams on fourth down.
“It’s playoff football. It’s going to get ugly. It’s going to get nasty. But you’ve got to keep going,” Williams said.
The opening quarter had lots of action, but it took until early in the second quarter for the Patriots to end a scoreless stalemate.
With New England pinned inside its own 10 after a Chargers punt, Maye had a pass intended for Austin Hooper tipped by Teair Tart and intercepted by Daiyan Henley.
Los Angeles started with the ball on the Patriots 10 but was stopped on fourth-and-2 when Herbert misfired a pass to Keenan Allen.
The Patriots took over and got some breathing room via a 48-yard catch-and-run by Stevenson.
Thirteen plays and a fourth-down conversion later, the drive ended with Borregales' 23-yard field goal.
Patriots: CB Carlton Davis left in the first half with a toe injury but returned. ... CB Christian Gonzalez left in the second half with a head injury.
Chargers: End of season.
Patriots: Host either Houston or Pittsburgh next Sunday.
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New England Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss celebrates after recovering a fumble by Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry, left, catches a pass next to Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James Jr. (3) and carries it in for a touchdown in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
New England Patriots defensive end Milton Williams (97), linebacker Christian Elliss (53) and linebacker Robert Spillane (14) celebrate Williams' sack of Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, left, avoids a tackle by Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack (52) in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) passes in the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the New England Patriots, in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
New England Patriots linebacker Anfernee Jennings (33) celebrates a tackle in the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) is sacked by New England Patriots linebacker Anfernee Jennings, rear, in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) avoids a tackle by Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack (52) in the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
