The Women's Super League and its second‑tier counterpart, WSL2, will soon permit supporters to purchase and consume alcoholic drinks while watching matches from the stands, with the policy set to take effect at the start of the 2026‑27 season.
The green light follows an 18‑month pilot that involved 20 clubs across 29 venues and produced 190 fixtures, beginning in the second tier in January 2025 with Birmingham City, Bristol City, Newcastle United and Southampton among the first participants.
Fan sentiment and safety
Surveys of more than 4,000 supporters revealed that approval for on‑site drinking climbed from 58 % to 69 % during the trial, while respondents continued to rate the overall match atmosphere as safe and family‑friendly.
The change is possible because women's football operates outside the scope of the Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc.) Act 1985, and the leagues' break from the Football Association in 2024 transferred regulatory authority to WSL Football, which designed the experiment.
Clubs are not compelled to adopt the scheme; those that do must clearly communicate the new option to their fan bases and typically designate specific stand sections where alcohol can be served.
The upcoming season is scheduled to kick off on the weekend of September 4‑6, marking the first full campaign in which the alcohol‑service option will be available across the top two divisions.