Trials allowing supporters to drink alcohol in the stands at Women’s Super League matches have received overwhelmingly positive feedback, prompting renewed debate over why such policies remain controversial in English football when they are routine across much of British sport. The sight of a beer snake at cricket matches being one of the traditions of the summer.
This weekend marks 100 fixtures since WSL Football expanded its latest scheme, with 15 of the 26 clubs across the top two tiers taking part.
Tottenham, Leicester City and Nottingham Forest will join the trial for the remainder of the season. A survey of 4,270 fans rated their experiences on a scale of one to ten, with fan safety scoring an average of 9.4. Seventy per cent of respondents supported alcohol consumption in the stands, up from 58% during last summer’s smaller pilot.
Family-friendliness was also rated highly at 9.1, while atmosphere scored 8.6.
Rugby union, cricket, golf and horse racing have long allowed alcohol in the stands, often marketing it as part of the matchday experience without widespread safety concerns.
“We got some initial feedback from fans (last summer) that was really positive, so we invited remaining clubs across the WSL and WSL 2 to expand it,” said Hannah Buckley, head of infrastructure, safety and sustainability at WSL Football. “One of the main things we learned throughout this process is that it is about giving our fans the choice.”
“It is a great example of the women’s game being different to the men’s game – both from a legislation point of view but also a chance to innovate and do some really cool stuff,” Buckley added. “It was putting the choice back in the fans’ hands and letting them tell us what they think. You don’t know unless you have tried these things.”
WSL clubs are not bound by the Control of Alcohol Act, which bans drinking in view of the pitch in men’s football, though current league rules mean the policy remains a trial. “We will get to the end of the season and survey again,” Buckley said. “We will share those findings with clubs and go through our regulatory processes and make a decision on how the shareholders would like to vote.”
With designated drinking-free zones still in place and fan-led data driving decisions, the question increasingly feels less about safety and more about why football continues to treat alcohol differently from almost every other major British sport.
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