When the girls and I decided on a football club to follow, I mentioned wanting to schedule a time to attend a game with them. This past weekend, we finally went to our first football match, which was also our first time at Emirates Stadium. The girls had watched football on TV before, and we all really enjoyed it. Even M, who mildly got into it during the Euros, showed some interest. I wanted them to experience the excitement of a live game, especially in a packed stadium. With Arsenal Women now playing many home games at Emirates, it felt like the perfect opportunity.
We were not disappointed. Our seats were near midfield, offering a fantastic view of everything. The energy in the stadium was amazing, with around 42,000 people in attendance. It wasn’t quite a sellout, but when Arsenal scored or had a near miss, the place exploded with noise. Even T, who is still undecided on teams, got caught up in the excitement.
With M still in the States last minute, I ended up taking one of the girls’ friends to the game. She wasn’t even a football fan, let alone an Arsenal supporter, but she was probably louder than both my girls combined!
By the time the game ended, both girls agreed they wanted to do it again.
When we got home, A made the cover of the game programme the background on her tablet.
I’ve mentioned before how surprised I am at how much I enjoy watching football on TV. Experiencing it live was even better.
I’m marking this one down as a parenting win