Women’s Euro 2025 Spurs 27% Surge in Swiss Tourism Spending, Visa Reports

Switzerland is experiencing a significant tourism and economic boost this summer as the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 tournament drives record visitor numbers and consumer spending across the country. According to data shared exclusively with CNBC by Visa, the first week of the competition saw a 12% increase in international visitors and a 27% surge in spending compared to the same period last year.

The figures mark a major milestone for the women’s game, whose rising popularity continues to attract fans from around the globe. Visa’s data, based on cardholder activity, shows a marked increase in tourism from key European markets, with visitors from Germany, Poland, and the Netherlands up by 25%, the United Kingdom by 20%, and France and Italy seeing gains of 10% and 15%, respectively.

Spending activity rose sharply in host cities including Basel, Bern, Geneva, and Zurich, as well as smaller venues such as St. Gallen, Sion, and Thun. Bern recorded nearly double its usual restaurant revenue, while Thun saw entertainment spending more than triple during match days. Retail spending nationwide increased by 30%.

Female soccer team celebrating | Source: Pexels

Visa Europe’s Chief Marketing Officer Kim Kadlec described the uplift as evidence of the tournament’s broad economic influence: “This demonstrates the powerful ripple effect, with an increase in real-time consumer spending across industries.”

The growth comes amid unprecedented attention on women’s football. The tournament, running through July, has already broken records with 600,000 advance tickets sold—22 of 31 matches have sold out, with 35% of tickets purchased by international fans, according to UEFA.

UEFA’s Director for Women’s Football, Nadine Kessler, highlighted the diversity and global appeal of the event. “Already there are 61,000 Germans, 41,000 English, 16,000 French, 15,000 Dutch and 5,000 American fans,” she said last month. “I think we are at 114 nationalities and that’s exactly what we want – that’s unheard of in women’s football – and it shows we have taken the right lessons from England 2022.”

The Women’s Euro 2025 follows the success of Euro 2022 in England, where attendance and viewership records were shattered. That tournament attracted 365 million global viewers, nearly double the 2017 figure, and sold out Wembley Stadium for the final, drawing 90,000 spectators—the highest ever for a Euro final, men’s or women’s.

Female soccer team celebrating | Source: Pexels

Visitors to Switzerland for Euro 2025 cited both the quality of football and the atmosphere as major draws. Ryan March, host of the Alternative Wales podcast, praised the energy surrounding the tournament and its impact on his home country. “The growth of the women’s game, particularly in Wales, is amazing to see… participation is up, crowds are up and having an international team qualifying for major tournaments will only push that even further,” he told CNBC.

Eva Murray, a Glasgow city councillor and returning attendee to women’s tournaments, noted the welcoming environment. “The atmosphere has been brilliant overall… Lucerne really felt like the tournament had taken over… Even in Geneva, there was a friendliness and curiosity that’s so typical of women’s football,” she said.

The tournament continues to spotlight the growing global momentum of women’s football, bolstered by increased investment, professionalization, and landmark deals such as the U.S. women’s national team’s equal pay agreement and the upcoming English Women’s Super League broadcasting contracts with Sky Sports and the BBC.