Icelandic fans attend Manchester at the European Women’s Championship
With around 345,700 inhabitants, Iceland can be small, but its football fans are certainly large.
Hundreds of Icelandic fans were in Manchester this weekend in the group stage against Belgium at the 2022 European Women’s Championship.
Icelandic fans were considerably more than their Belgian colleagues in the fan area in Piccadilly Gardens, where the Icelandic DJ Dóra Júlía broke through with a selection of Eurovision classics for the fans while they enjoyed the hospitality.
Fan Addy Ólafsdóttir said before the game: “There seems to be a lot of blue and white shirts everywhere, so I think we will at least win the attendance.
This is the fourth time in a row that Iceland qualifies for the European Women’s Championship, but they have only once before won the group stage in 2013, when they beat Sweden 4-0 in the quarter-finals.
Among the blue shirts of Iceland’s supporters was the country’s Prime Minister, Katrín Jakobsdóttir, who was seen in the colors of the supporters’ area and outside.
The group of hundreds made their way to the Etihad Stadium in Manchester City at 3 pm, where Jakobsdóttir assisted in leading a walk across the bridge to Manchester City Academy Stadium, where the game took place.
Although the stadium is the official home of the Manchester City Women’s Football Club, the choice of pitch caused some controversy among fans and players.
Sara Björk Gunnarsdóttir, Iceland’s captain, spoke to their Pitch broadcaster in April and described the decision to use Akademíuvöllinn over a larger stadium as “shocking” and “embarrassing” – an attitude that fans echoed on this day.
“The tickets, at least for the Icelandic portion, went very fast,” said Addý Ólafsdóttir fan.
“When it was the last euro in the Netherlands, we met 6,000 people from Iceland. So we need to do a lot better there, “she added.
When it comes to gender equality in football, Iceland is a good example for the outside world.
Five members of the Icelandic team are mothers – more than any other team in the competition – and women make up 34% of all registered professional players in Iceland.
It was clear that Icelandic supporters were not only there to support their national team, but the women’s game in general, which seems to be growing.
“It has been growing lately, both in Iceland and in the world, and I think women get more attention – deserved attention – than before because the quality of the game is equal to men,” says fan Björn Ívar Karlsson.
“They are just very powerful. You do not see these “acting styles” that men have. They just keep going even though they have a bleeding head, “says Sola Ragnars, Iceland’s supporter.
Inside the stadium, hordes of fans took part in the famous Víkingaklappi – an ancient ritual that includes a synchronized clap and song that increases with speed and strength.
Unfortunately, the battle cry did not help the team to victory and the game ended in a 1-1 draw.
Iceland will play its next game in the group against Italy in Manchester on July 14.