April 13 – Premier League attendances dipped just below the 98% mark for match week 31, with the overall stadium occupancy averaging 97.89% – slightly off the competition’s recent high standards. The figures were largely propped up by four high-performing clubs at the gate: Manchester United, West Ham, Brentford, and Aston Villa, who all recorded near sell-outs.
Manchester United led the way with the highest attendance of the round, filling 99.23% of Old Trafford’s capacity as 73,738 fans turned up for what turned out to be a forgettable 0-0 draw in the Manchester Derby. The result may have disappointed both sets of supporters, but the turnout once again demonstrated the club’s unwavering pulling power.
West Ham were the weekend’s capacity kings, with just 41 empty seats at the London Stadium for their 1-1 draw against Bournemouth – a remarkable 99.93% fill rate. Aston Villa and Brentford also exceeded the 99% threshold, underlining their strong home support as both continue solid domestic campaigns.
In contrast, Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City both recorded around 2,000 empty seats, reflecting a growing sense of apathy among fans amid underwhelming seasons. With little to play for in the run-in, some supporters appear to be voting with their feet.
Fulham saw a rare spike in home support, jumping to 97.44% capacity – a significant improvement for a club often rooted to the bottom of the attendance capacity charts. Those who turned up were rewarded with one of the shocks of the season: a thrilling 3-2 win over title-chasing Liverpool, handing the Reds only their second loss of the league campaign.
Crystal Palace’s attendance numbers remained sluggish, despite the Eagles continuing their late-season resurgence with a 2-1 win over Brighton to move up to 11th in the table. The club has struggled to consistently attract a full house this season, with little sign of a turnaround despite results on the pitch.
As the league season draws to a close with everything virtually decided, the fall off in attendance could mark a damning trend as there becomes increasingly less to play for.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1744704366labto1744704366ofdlr1744704366owedi1744704366sni@g1744704366niwe.1744704366yrrah1744704366