Built For Her: Brighton & Hove Albion Plans UK’s First Women’s Stadium

UK Premier League soccer club Brighton & Hove Albion has confirmed plans for what it has described as “the UK and Europe’s first purpose-built women’s football stadium.”

The stadium will provide bespoke facilities for Brighton’s women’s team, its staff and the club’s supporters. It underlines the board’s intent and belief in the women’s and girls’ game, supported once by club owner Tony Bloom.

Work has begun on a planning application for the new women’s stadium located at Bennett’s Field, a site strategically acquired in 2025.

Having adopted a guiding philosophy of “built for her,” the new stadium will be “designed around the needs of female athletes and the distinct needs and culture of the women’s game, rather than be an adaptation of a venue that was designed for male athletes historically and typically supported by a male-dominated audience,” according to the announcement.

It continues, “From pitch standards and performance environments such as changing rooms and recovery spaces, every element of the new stadium will support elite female players.

“Reflecting a different demographic of supporters, the matchday experience will be designed to be especially welcoming for families and first-time attendees with easy access for families, wider concourses, social spaces and an event-day atmosphere focused on music, entertainment and community.”

Above all, with the team’s on-field performance the focal point from a sporting perspective, the new stadium is supposed to “provide a permanent home and identity for the women’s team, driving repeat attendance, a better broadcast experience and long-term fan growth.”

It’s been designed with a minimum capacity of 10,000 and will be physically connected to the American Express Stadium, home turf of the Brighton & Hove Albion men’s team, via a new bridge link.

The sloping nature of the suggested construction site would allow the stadium to accommodate underground parking facilities, while still providing level access for spectators.

The club’s ambition is for the stadium to open no later than the 2030/31 season, subject to planning approvals, which will be sought through the neighbouring authorities of Brighton and Hove City Council and Lewes District Council.

“The new stadium will give the women’s team a new purpose-built home that reflects that level of support and ambition, further reinforcing Brighton’s position as a global leader in women’s football,” the announcement continues.

It will be one of only three such stadiums in the world, and the first in UK/Europe, putting the club at the forefront of the women’s game globally. The other two bespoke women’s football grounds opened in the United States: Kansas City Current play at their own CPKC Stadium, and the new franchise Denver Summit are building their own stadium, scheduled to be ready for the 2028 season.

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Brighton & Hove Albion Women’s managing director Zoe Johnson said, “The prospect of a bespoke stadium, built exclusively for women’s players, staff and supporters, is incredibly exciting. It is a project that is the first of its kind in the UK and Europe, and one of only three in the world, and will capture the imagination of stakeholders across the women’s game, not just here but globally.

“It is something we are asked about constantly, and we have worked hard to reach this moment, so it is exciting now to share this news with the wider world. It will help us push forward our ambitions to compete consistently both domestically in the Women’s Super League, and also in European club competition, while helping us to attract key staff and grow a passionate fan base.

“We also hope the stadium can support academy and development fixtures, giving more of our younger players valuable experience of playing in a purpose-built stadium environment.”

Chair of Albion Women Michelle Walder added, “We are determined to maintain the momentum built in recent years, not just nationally but here in the city. A stadium ‘built for her’ is an ambitious statement of intent – it’s an exciting commitment and will establish Brighton and Hove on the global map as a genuine home for the women’s game. Delivering these plans is central to accelerating the long-term growth of our women’s team and the future of the wider game.”

Albion chairman Tony Bloom said, “Since we announced our intention to build a stadium for the women’s team in Brighton and Hove, we have seen unprecedented interest locally, nationally and internationally. It is a topic I am regularly asked about by many of our fans, clearly indicating the growing level of interest and potential for women’s football.

“It is a significant further investment in our long term vision for women’s football at Brighton & Hove Albion. A women’s stadium in the city is essential to the continued growth of the team. We strongly believe it will strengthen our ability to attract elite talent, help develop our younger players for the future, support the growth of our fan base and create a genuine sense of belonging around the women’s game.”

Chief executive and deputy chairman Paul Barber concluded, “Our new women’s stadium, the first of its kind in the UK and Europe, and one of only three in the world, is a powerful statement of our ambitions and will be integral to driving further momentum for the growth of women’s and girls’ football, not just in the UK but across the world.

“With a capacity aligned to Women’s Super League regulations, the stadium reflects our clear belief in ‘right sizing’ the stadium to grow the fan base sustainably. 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 other areas around the stadium through the creation of local construction jobs, apprenticeships and training opportunities for local people, further boosting the club’s already significant contribution to the local economy and at a time when there is a great deal of economic uncertainty.”

VP of Global Brand Sponsorships and Experiential Marketing at American Express Shiz Suzuki said, “We’re proud to work with partners across all our sports sponsorships who share our commitment of backing women athletes. As a longstanding partner of Brighton & Hove Albion, sponsor of the American Express Stadium and main partner of the club’s women’s team, we’re excited to see these ambitious plans.”

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