Wembley Stadium was sold out as England captain Leah Williamson lifted the Women’s Euro trophy last summer – and now professional wrestler Jamie Hayter is the next female looking to inspire a generation under the arch.
Just over a year on from the Lionesses’ history-making afternoon, Eastleigh-born Hayter will perform at Wembley as part of All Elite Wrestling’s ‘All In: London’ show on August 27.
It will be the first time in 31 years that professional wrestling has taken place at the venue as Tony Khan – also Fulham’s technical director – brings his promotion to the United Kingdom for the first time.
Hayter, currently the company’s women’s champion, is one of several British performers on the roster at AEW and she is aiming to follow in the footsteps of Williamson and her England football team-mates.
Asked if there are glass ceilings being shattered across women’s sport, the 28-year-old said: “Absolutely. I mean, when the Lionesses played at Wembley, it was sold out.
“That was inspirational and a sensational moment for women’s football – that shows that it is something that people want to see, people do want to go and support women’s sport.
“People do want to be there, they want to be amongst all these exciting and brilliant achievements and I just hope that we can keep proving everybody wrong and keep doing it.
“Any women’s sports, especially nowadays, is really a lot more popular we just have to keep it going. I think the landscape of women’s wrestling has changed so much and that’s the beauty of it.
Any women's sports, especially nowadays, is really a lot more popular we just have to keep it going— Jamie Hayter
“I get that wrestling is an acquired taste and women’s wrestling in itself is also an acquired taste but Wembley will be a great opportunity to really showcase what woman can do because it’s come on leaps and bounds.
“I think every single year, women’s wrestling just gets better and better and more interesting – it is mirroring other sports and society in general.
“The last time I wrestled in front of a crowd in the UK was before the pandemic. There were just over 200 people there – so going from that to Wembley is going to be insane.”
The stakes could be even higher for Hayter, who could yet face fellow British talent Saraya at Wembley.
Subject of the 2019 film “Fighting with My Family” starring Florence Pugh and written by Stephen Merchant, Norwich-born Saraya was someone Hayter looked up to as he was coming through the ranks.
“I mean, who wouldn’t want to headline at Wembley Stadium,” Hayter told the PA news agency.
“I think if I just get the opportunity to perform there, I will be extremely happy. Of course, being the headline act would be incredible and that would be an absolute privilege for me, especially if Saraya is involved.
“She is wrestling royalty, in my opinion, especially in the UK. Seeing a British girl come through as she did was amazing to see and she has set the bar – we talked about inspiring women and she was a pioneer of that.”
:: Exclusive pre-sales are now under way. Tickets for “AEW: All In London at Wembley Stadium” go on sale to the general public this Friday, May 5 at 9 a.m. BST. Tickets can be purchased at ticketmaster.co.uk/AEWWembley.
