Brighton plan Europe's first purpose-built £80m women's stadium. #Football #BBCNews
Brighton and Hove Albion are planning to build Europe's first purpose-built women's football stadium at a cost of £75-80 million, located next to the men's Amex Stadium. The 10,000-capacity venue is intended to open for the 2030-2031 season and will feature family-friendly and female-focused amenities.
Summary
Brighton and Hove Albion have announced plans to construct what would be Europe's first purpose-built women's football stadium, with an estimated cost of between £75 and £80 million. The stadium will be situated adjacent to the Amex Stadium, the existing home ground of the men's team, creating a combined football campus.
According to the club's Managing Director of Women and Girls Football, Zoe Johnson, this would be one of only three purpose-built women's football stadiums in the world, highlighting how rare and pioneering the project is on a global scale. The venue is planned to have a capacity of 10,000 spectators, with an official opening targeted for the start of the 2030-2031 football season. Currently, Brighton's women's team plays their home matches at Crawley Town's Broadfield Stadium.
A major focus of the stadium's design is inclusivity and accessibility. Brighton have emphasized that the facility will include breastfeeding rooms, baby changing areas, and buggy parks for prams — features rarely prioritized in traditional football stadiums. Elite female players will also benefit from dedicated changing rooms, improved pitch standards, and specialized recovery spaces. Match day experiences are being designed to be particularly welcoming for families and first-time attendees, signaling a broader ambition to grow the women's game's fanbase.
Key Insights
- Brighton's Managing Director of Women and Girls Football, Zoe Johnson, claims the proposed stadium would be one of only three purpose-built women's football stadiums in the world, underscoring the global rarity of such facilities.
- The stadium is projected to cost between £75 and £80 million, representing a major financial commitment to women's football infrastructure.
- Brighton plan to locate the women's stadium directly next to the Amex Stadium, the men's team's home ground, suggesting an integrated dual-campus approach to the club's facilities.
- The club highlights that the stadium will include breastfeeding rooms, baby changing areas, and buggy parks — facilities that reflect a deliberate design philosophy centered on female fans and families rather than the traditional male-oriented stadium model.
- Match days at the new stadium are specifically being designed to accommodate families and first-time attendees, indicating Brighton's strategy to broaden the demographic appeal of women's football.
Topics
Full transcript available for MurmurCast members
Sign Up to Access