April 30 – Brighton & Hove Albion are building a stadium for their women’s team – the first of its kind in the United Kingdom or Europe. The proposed 10,000-capacity ground will sit next to the Amex on a site at Bennett’s Field, acquired by the club in 2025, and connect via a bridge link to the men’s stadium.
Subject to planning approval, the target is to open in time for the 2030/31 season. The construction will showcase performance facilities, recovery areas and operational infrastructure designed for female athletes, staff and supporters.
Zoe Johnson, Managing Director of Brighton Women, framed what it means inside the building, saying, “It will help us push forward our ambitions to compete consistently, while helping us to attract key staff and grow a passionate fan base.”
Across European football, women’s teams play in men’s stadiums on the days the men aren’t using them, train in facilities built for someone else, and operate inside infrastructure they were never the priority for.
Chair Tony Bloom, whose backing has driven the project, added, “It is a significant further investment in our long-term vision for women’s football. We strongly believe it will strengthen our ability to attract elite talent and support the growth of our fan base.”
The capacity has been set at 10,000 deliberately, sized for actual Women’s Super League demand.
Chief Executive Paul Barber, said, “A stadium ‘built for her’ is not only a significant capital investment for the club but one which we know will also benefit the city, and drive further momentum for the growth of women’s and girls’ football.”
Contact the writer of this story, Nick Webster, at [email protected]