Football has always been a part of my life. The first major tournament I really remember was the 1990 World Cup. Ruud Gullit stands out in my memory, largely because of his dreadlocks. Though to be honest, I did often confuse him with Carlos Valderrama and René Higuita.

Despite growing up watching football, I have only ever been to two games live. The last one was during the 2012 Olympic Games in London: Team GB Women vs Brazil Women at Wembley.

I always wanted to go to more matches, but I have always struggled with large crowds, especially situations where it feels difficult to leave easily. Even when photographing the Lionesses’ open-top bus victory parade after the Euro 2025 win, I stood right at the back behind everyone else, using a full-frame 600 mm equivalent lens to make up the distance. Then there is also the unhelpful media narrative featuring stories of violent post-match fan behaviour. Those stories never did much to ease my anxiety around match day experiences.

But with the Lionesses winning the Euros in both 2022 and 2025, and Arsenal, my team since childhood, lifting the Women’s Champions League trophy in 2025, it felt like the right time to think seriously about going to a match again.

I did wonder whether I should focus on men’s football, women’s football, or both. What tipped the balance in favour of women’s football was, honestly, the economics of it. The pay disparity is staggering. A FIFA report cited in The Guardian in March 2025 noted that the average annual salary of a professional female footballer globally is just $10,900 (around £8,700), and that figure is skewed by a handful of top clubs. The same report noted that attendance figures were worryingly low too: an average of 1,713 fans at Tier 1 games, and just 480 and 380 at Tier 2 and Tier 3 matches respectively.

Maybe it is the part of me that trained as a human rights lawyer, but those numbers, highlighting the disparity in the salaries of male and female footballers, just did not sit right with me. The figures in the FIFA report made me want to show up. To be counted. To contribute to the development of women’s football in the one way I could: by being a supporter, and by being present.

So, with that settled, it is time to look for some tickets, and finally watch Arsenal Women play live.