Nebraska volleyball match sets global record for women’s sports attendance of 92,003 fans

The official attendance recorded is 92,003 fans filling the stands, according to University of Nebraska Lincoln

A volleyball match in the United States has set the world record for the largest announced crowd at a women’s sporting event, with a stadium of over 92,000 fans.

University of Nebraska women’s volleyball team hosted in-state opponent Omaha for the match on Wednesday.

The official attendance recorded is 92,003 fans filling the stands in Lincoln – at what normally is the university’s football stadium – according to the university.

The previous world record was set in April 2022, when 91,648 football fans in Barcelona, Spain, gathered for a UEFA Champions League semifinal between Barcelona and Wolfsburg at Camp Nou.

While the previous US record attendance for a women’s sporting event was 90,185 for the United States-China football World Cup final in July 1999 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

At a post-game press conference, Nebraska player Andi Jackson told reporters: "It's incredible, I don't have enough words to describe it.

"We were walking out of the tunnel after the second set and we heard on the speaker that we had just broken the record. We were trying to stay locked in but we were just so excited... everyone was celebrating in the tunnel.

"It's just incredible and I can't describe just how grateful I am to be a part of the day."

Her teammate, Lexi Rodriguez added: "At first, (the crowd) was really big but I think once we got going, a crowd is a crowd and we just all focused on the six people on the court.

"The biggest thing (for the team) was just focusing on how we can control our side."

Trev Alberts, the university's athletics director, addressed the Nebraska crowd following the outdoor match, which the five-time national champions won 25-14, 25-14, 25-13.

“Nebraska has the best fan base in the world, the best volleyball fans in the world,” he said before introducing head coach John Cook.

Memorial Stadium's official capacity is just over 85,000 for football, but that number was higher for this event because there were seats and standing room on the field.

The stadium was one-quarter full at the start of that match and gradually filled to capacity as players for Omaha and Nebraska were warming up.

Nebraska has won five national championships in volleyball, and its program is one of the few in Division I women's sports that turns a profit — $1million (over £788,000) last year, according to athletic department CFO Doug Ewald.

“This is a statement on Title IX, and having two daughters of my own, what Title IX has done for women's sports is huge,” Troy Pfannenstiel, an Omaha fan, said before the match.

The officials of the Guinness World Records have not yet commented on the record.

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