WSL fans raise a glass to drinking in the stands trial

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.

Comments

Nigeria backs ANOCA rotation policy as Uganda lands 2031 African Games hosting rights

By Maxwell Kumoye Uganda's emergence as host of the 2031 African Games has been linked to the rotational hosting policy of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), a framework designed to ensure equitable distribution of the continent's biggest multi-sport event among Africa's regions. Investigations have revealed that the East African nation benefited significantly from the policy, which seeks to spread hosting opportunities across the continent rather than concentrating them in a few countries. The decision is also understood to have been aided by Nigeria's withdrawal from the race, leaving Uganda as the sole candidate for the prestigious event. For Nigeria, supporting the rotational arrangement aligns with the country's longstanding contribution to the growth of the African Games movement. The nation has already hosted the continental showpiece twice, first in Lagos in 1973 and again in Abuja in 2003, making it one of only a handful of c...

Glazer family members studying Manchester United stake sale, Bloomberg News reports

Some Glazer family members have been debating whether ‌to sell their stake in Manchester United FC (MANU.N), opens new tab after more than two decades ⁠of ownership, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. Several stakeholders in the Glazer family have been studying ‌the ⁠possibility of divesting part or all of their holdings in the English ⁠Premier League football club, according to the report. — Reuters

Protests and last-minute construction work disrupt Mexico City ahead of World Cup

Eight days before Mexico City kicks off the World Cup, mass protests by teachers and retired judges, road closures and last-minute construction work caused chaos in the capital on Wednesday for millions of residents who face long delays and complex rerouting of their daily commutes. On June 11, Mexico City will host the inaugural World Cup match between ‌Mexico and South Africa at Azteca stadium in the capital. With Mexico in the global spotlight, teachers and other groups have staged marches and blocked major avenues. They have said their protests, which are unrelated to the tournament, could intensify unless President Claudia Sheinbaum's government addresses their demands. The CNTE, a dissident wing of the national teachers' union, has threatened mass demonstrations at the opening of the World Cup in official statements shared on social media. The union is demanding the government fulfill a campaign pledge to repeal a 2007 law that overhauled the pension and ⁠social securit...

Iran to play World Cup warm-up behind closed doors, head to Mexico on Saturday

Iran will play their final World Cup warm-up behind closed doors in Turkey on Thursday before departing for their tournament base in Mexico on Saturday, the Iranian FA (FFIRI) said on Wednesday. Although it was one of the first teams to ‌qualify, Iran's participation in the World Cup has been in doubt since the U.S. and Israel launched air strikes on the Islamic Republic in late February. The squad have played three friendlies in two training camps in Antalya since the start of the war - losing to Nigeria and beating Costa Rica and Gambia - and on Thursday will face Mali ⁠in the Turkish sea resort. "Considering the importance of the Iranian national football team's friendly match against Mali, and in line with the tactical objectives of Iran's head coach, tomorrow's match against Mali will be held behind closed doors and without media attendance," FFIRI said in a statement. The FFIRI persuaded FIFA to allow the team to swap its tournament base from Tucson, A...

Z-PRO MEDIA

Search This Blog