Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium will stage the London edition of World Sevens Football in May, with eight Women’s Super League clubs set to take part in a three-day tournament
Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium will stage the London edition of World Sevens Football in May, with eight Women’s Super League clubs set to take part in a three-day tournament.
Brentford’s home ground will host another high-profile women’s football event later this spring after it was confirmed that the Gtech Community Stadium will stage the London edition of World Sevens Football from 28 to 30 May. The tournament will bring together eight Women’s Super League sides for a three-day, seven-a-side competition, with Manchester United and Aston Villa the first clubs already announced.
For Brentford, the announcement is another sign of the role the Gtech Community Stadium is beginning to play in the women’s game. The club said the event will follow on from the venue hosting the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup semi-finals earlier this year, while World Sevens has positioned the London edition as the next step in expanding its tournament model after previous events in Estoril and Fort Lauderdale.
15 matches will be played across the three days, with 30-minute games, a reduced-size pitch, rolling substitutions and no offsides. Organisers have also confirmed a $1.5 million prize pot for the tournament, adding a competitive edge to what is being marketed as a faster, more entertainment-led version of elite women’s football.
That combination of sporting and commercial appeal is part of what made the event attractive for Brentford. Chief executive Jon Varney said the club were “really pleased” to welcome the tournament to west London, adding that it offers a chance to bring “fast-paced exciting action” to the stadium while also helping to support the growth of the women’s game. That fits with the broader use of the Gtech as a venue capable of hosting more than Brentford’s men’s first-team fixtures, particularly when major women’s competitions are looking for established London grounds.
There is also a useful place for the event in the calendar. The tournament will be held immediately before the Women’s FA Cup final on 31 May, which should help concentrate attention on women’s football across that week. World Sevens says the London competition will feature eight of England’s top clubs, although the remaining six participants have yet to be announced.
For Brentford supporters, the practical detail is already in place. The club said season ticket holders, members and fans who have attended Brentford Women matches at the Gtech can access an exclusive pre-sale window, with general sale following on 14 April. Brentford will not have a team involved, but the stadium will again be at the centre of a significant football event, this time on the women’s side and with a different format that should bring a busy few days to TW8.