The highest attendance of the 2021/22 opening weekend came at the Stadium of Light, where over 31,000 watched Sunderland AFC record a 2-1 victory against Wigan Athletic.
In total, the opening weekend fixtures in Sky Bet League One amounted to a divisional-high over the past six years, as more than 134,000 supporters cheered on their teams, surpassing the benchmark of 116,444 set in 2018/19.
Ipswich Town v Morecambe (21,037), Bolton Wanderers v MK Dons (16,087) and Charlton Athletic v Sheffield Wednesday (17,639) made it four fixtures out of 12 in League One to welcome over 16,000 supporters.
Elsewhere, Sheffield United’s return to the Championship attracted a crowd of just over 29,000 at Bramall Lane, with Birmingham City claiming an opening day three points, whilst Coventry’s return to the City was watched on by just under 21,000 against Nottingham Forest.
In Sky Bet League Two, Tranmere Rovers hosted over 7,700 supporters against Walsall, and both Carlisle United and Mansfield Town surpassed the 6,000 mark against Colchester United and Bristol Rovers, respectively.
In the last season to be completed in full before the pandemic, attendances across the EFL reached their highest levels in 60 years in 2018/19, as 18.3 million people made their way to League fixtures. The EFL’s #ForTheGameWeLove campaign will run through the 2021/22 season across the League and Clubs to support a return to pre-pandemic level of attendances.