Arsenal have sold more than 40,000 tickets for their Women’s Super League opener with Manchester City at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

The Gunners have made the Emirates their main home for their women’s team this season and will play eight of their 11 WSL games there.

They are kicking off their campaign against City at 12.30pm BST on Sunday, four hours before the men’s teams face off at the Etihad Stadium.

More than 40,000 tickets have already been sold and that number is expected to rise in the coming days, while tickets can also be purchased on the day by walk-ups.

The crowd of 40,000 would mean Arsenal Women are playing in front of a bigger crowd than half of the Premier League games taking place over the same weekend.

The Gunners have made a huge push with their women’s team and had three new WSL attendance records last season.

They sold out Emirates for two of their six games there, which has led to the club increasing the number of matches staged there for this new season.

Arsenal are expected to fight with Chelsea and Man City for the WSL title and have strengthened their squad this summer.

The Gunners have added Aston Villa goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar, Sweden playmaker Rosa Kafaji and Spain star Mariona Caldentey.