Women’s Super League (WSL) soccer fans will be able to enjoy alcoholic drinks in the stands next season at some of England’s biggest stadiums.
The Sun said the top two tiers of women’s football – the WSL and WSL2 – have concluded an 18-month period to confirm they will allow supporters to drink in the stands at matches.
The Women’s Super League (WSL), also known as the Barclays Women’s Super League for sponsorship reasons, and formerly the FA WSL, is a professional association football league and the highest level of women’s football in England.
Currently operated by WSL Football, the league was established in 2010 by the Football Association (FA) and features 14 fully professional teams.
Starting with WSL2 clubs, like Newcastle and Southampton, WSL Football began the alcohol trials in January 2025. When supporters seemed to be happy and feel safe, the trial headed up to the top-division.
Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United are just some of the huge teams who will be able to implement the scheme permanently.
These clubs often had designated sections of the stands where drinking alcohol was permitted.
Drinking alcohol in view of the pitch is banned across English men’s football’s top five leagues, in accordance with the Sporting Events Act of 1985.
The WSL was not tied to that legislation but opted to follow suit while run by the Football Association. After the league split from the FA in 2024 a pilot scheme was introduced to test whether a change could be beneficial.
More than 190 fixtures were played under the trial while they tested how the game experience would be affected by drinking.
Over 4,000 fans were surveyed with supporters going from 58 per cent in favour of alcohol in the summer of 2025 to 69 per cent at the end of the season.
Meanwhile, the numbers say that the safe and family-friendly atmosphere did not change.
With 20 clubs and 29 venues having given it a go, the leagues’ rule dictating no alcohol should be drunk in view of the pitch has been scrapped.
None of the clubs will be forced to introduce alcohol to the stands when the season starts on the weekend of September 4-6. The women’s game did have rules more similar to those decided by the FA.
But since the professional women’s leagues separated from them in 2024, WSL Football were able to see if a change was possible.
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