Brighton plan Europe’s first purpose-built women’s football stadium

Brighton’s plans to build Europe’s first purpose-built women’s stadium is the “kind of progress we have dreamed about for years”, the Brighton and former England forward Fran Kirby has said.

The Women’s Super League club have released the first images of the 10,000-capacity venue, which they hope to open in time for the 2030-31 season.

Subject to receiving planning permission, the stadium would be directly adjacent to the Amex Stadium and would include an underground car park. Everything from the changing rooms to the concourse will be designed for female athletes and a WSL audience. The club say the design will be specifically “welcoming for families and first-time attendees” with social spaces.

“It also shows that Brighton & Hove Albion have the utmost respect for the women’s game and the people within it,” Kirby said. “For young players watching on, it makes them believe that this sport truly has a future where they belong.

“This is the kind of progress we have dreamed about for years. The thought of walking into a stadium that has been designed for you will be revolutionary – it will change the way women’s players prepare and perform.”

Globally only the NWSL side Kansas City, whose CPKC stadium opened in 2024, and Denver Summit, whose ground is being constructed with the aim of opening in 2028, have moved towards having purpose-built women’s team stadiums prior to Brighton’s announcement. Birmingham City have said they are planning to build a stadium for their women’s team on the site of their proposed “sports quarter” near to their proposed 62,000-seat men’s stadium.

Paul Barber, the club’s chief executive and deputy chair, added: “[This] 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.”

Brighton are sixth in the WSL table following their 3-2 win over Manchester City on Saturday at Crawley’s Broadfield Stadium, which is the team’s current shared home.