Arsenal are currently in discussions with UEFA over their home UWCL match with Bayern Munich originally scheduled to take place at Emirates Stadium on 18 December. The tie will either need to be moved to a new location or a new date due to the men’s team being drawn at home to Crystal Palace in the League Cup on the same night.
Essentially, everything required to bring about an insurmountable clash transpired, with Spurs also being drawn at home in the League Cup during the same week and needing to play on a different night to Arsenal men.
The UWCL game is further complicated by the fact that Arsenal are obliged to let Bayern Munich train at the stadium and fulfill their media obligations on Tuesday, 17 December, which means the men’s game against Crystal Palace wouldn’t be able to be played on that date either.
Crystal Palace are playing at home to Brighton on Sunday, 15 December too. Because Arsenal’s UWCL game against Bayern is the final group game it has to kickoff at the same time as Valerenga v Juventus, the other game in the group. This is why a venue change is the most likely scenario. Arsenal are discussing the situation with UEFA.
Some options could include playing the game at Brentford’s Stadium, the London Stadium or maybe even Stadium:MK, while Arsenal could also seek an exemption from UEFA and ask for the game to be played at Meadow Park, which is currently not an option because the ground doesn’t meet UEFA requirements.
Arsenal are liaising with UEFA on a solution and say they will communicate the outcome in due course.
Something of the sort was bound to happen, I suppose. Everything crossed. Meadow Park would be my preferred choice – home game,home advantage. Only 5000 fans but they would be a super-passionate bunch.
Arsenal women sell nearer to 3800 for Meadow Park games. 55% of East Stand is comps and staff. Highest recent attendance at Meadow Park was an FA Cup game Borehamwood v St Albans City 4101 and they had to get special permission from the local council to sell that many.
I wish the advertised capacity (wiki etc) was updated to reflect this. The ‘usual demographic’ harping on about how “only 3800” fans turn up to Meadow Park because the advertised capacity is 4500 but as you say, that amount of tickets are rarely ever issued.
Can’t believe meadow park doesn’t meet requirements, while those Swedish plastic pitches do. If it’s at any other ground, it’s essentially not a home match for us. Is UEFA going to be reasonable for once?
I’m not sure exactly which requirements it doesn’t met. But I suspect 50 tickets to be distributed by UEFA that include onsite parking and hospitality is one
if they play at Meadow Park will also have to refund those who have tickets for Emirates.looking at the stadium plan would reckon 10,000 have already been sold. can’t see it being London stadium due to the issue west ham women have playing there. Would think that Brentford or Millwall might be more likely outcomes.
I am a supporter of Arsenal Women and frankly, have no interest in the men’s team – whilst I do appreciate many bloggers will also be interested in Arsenal men of course.
This fixture versus Bayern is a huge game in a huge competition, whilst the match against Crystal Palace is in a much less important competition.
The leadership of the club should attach priority to the Women’s team and its game versus Bayern, on this occasion. Accordingly, the men’s game should be switched or rescheduled & our CL game played at the Emirates.
It can’t be switched to a neutral venue. There isn’t another date for it. Couldn’t do Tuesday cos Bayern need the stadium that day, can’t do Thursday cos Spurs are at home that night. The EFL have the say about which week the fixture happens in. It’s just not simple.
Suzanne Wrack makes similar points but also states that this treatment of the women’s team is a disappointing lost opportunity and I agree. Either the Emirates is their home or it is not. It was not an arrangement made with the rider “as long as it is convenient to the men’s team.”
Change the Palace v Arsenal game to play at Selhurst!
I consider it is a significant lost opportunity for Arsenal to demonstrate the support of the club for the women’s team. It’s not too late to reverse the decision, I suspect………
I think that over time, Arsenal will have to provide a suitable (bigger) stadium for the women’s team, so that there is no such discussion, men will always have priority in these choices, unfortunately.
This discussion has been going on for years. There isnt the space or suitable location for it. It’s very unlikely to happen as far as I gather from all the conversations i’ve heard.
The talk of a new stadium for the women and academy teams within the M25 has been ongoing for over a decade but finally dismissed as unfeasible and the decision was made for Emirates to be ‘home’ for AWFC.
The situation of priorities was always going to arise sooner or later and I hope that we get to retain ‘home’ advantage by playing Bayern at Meadow Park in front of 3,500 hard-core AWFC fans. The atmosphere will be incredible.
I thought we’d have heard something by now.
I might have entered the ballot for Crystal Palace had I got confirmation about Bayern being at smaller ground than amount of tickets sold.