Two footie stadiums set to lift booze ban after 39 YEARS with police powerless to intervene despite opposition
FOOTBALL’S booze ban will be lifted in a trial in the Women’s Championship.
Drinking alcohol in sight of the pitch is prohibited in the top five tiers of the men’s game, although allowed lower down the pyramid.
But with the law not covering women’s football, a trial allowing drinking inside the stadium “bowl” will take place at two clubs in the second tier during this season.
Nikki Doucet, chief executive of Women’s Professional Leagues Limited, told Leaders Week London at the Allianz Stadium that the clubs where the trial will take place had yet to be decided.
She said: “ We are testing that actually in a couple of teams in the Championship this season and we’ll see what we learn from it.
“Our fan base and the behaviour is different to the men’s game.
“Ultimately it’s about being able to give our fans choices, while obviously maintaining the safety and what we need to do in terms of being responsible.”
The idea of fans being allowed to drink at grounds in League Two and the National League was proposed by former Sports Minister Tracey Crouch in her 2021 “Fan led Review”.
While it was backed by fans’ groups and lower division club bosses, the push-back from Police was massive and saw the idea kiboshed.
Sun Sport has been told that the Police position has not changed in terms of men’s football although there is no mechanism which would see local Forces able to prevent a women’s game trial.
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Drinking in view of the pitch has been banned in the men’s top five divisions since 1985.
Fans caught breaching the laws under the 1985 act can be banned from grounds, handed hefty fans and, in extreme circumstances, given three month prison sentences.