Brighton plan Europe's first purpose-built women's stadium
Brighton and Hove Albion have unveiled plans to construct Bennett's Field Stadium, which will be Europe's first stadium designed exclusively for women's football. The club states that the new venue will "provide a permanent home and identity for the women's team," aiming to foster sustained fan growth.
The stadium will be located at Bennett's Field, adjacent to the Amex Stadium—the home ground of Brighton's Premier League men's team—and will have a minimum capacity of 10,000. A bridge walkway will connect it to the Amex Stadium.
With a planning application currently in progress, the club anticipates opening the stadium at the start of the 2030-31 season.
"The prospect of a bespoke stadium, built exclusively for women's players, staff and supporters, is incredibly exciting," said Zoe Johnson, the club's managing director of women's and girls' football.
"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."
Brighton has emphasized that the stadium's facilities—including changing rooms, pitch standards, and recovery areas—will be designed to "support elite female players." The matchday experience will be tailored to be especially welcoming for families and first-time attendees.
Facilities will include breastfeeding rooms, baby changing areas, and 'buggy parks' for prams, along with social spaces on the concourse for hosting events and underground parking.
Johnson added that the stadium will help the club "push forward our ambitions to compete consistently both domestically in the Women's Super League (WSL), and also in European club competition," while attracting "key staff and growing a passionate fanbase."
"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," she said.
Currently, Brighton occasionally plays women's matches at the Amex Stadium but hosts most WSL games at Crawley Town's Broadfield Stadium, approximately 20 miles away.
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Discussions continue regarding the suitability of pitch types for female footballers to reduce injury risk, with some advocating for different surfaces tailored to female athletes.
How do plans compare to other clubs?
Ten of the 12 WSL clubs are affiliated with Premier League teams, with many moving their women's teams into the men's stadiums as the women's game expands.
Chelsea Women recently made Stamford Bridge their permanent home, following Arsenal, Aston Villa, and Leicester City, who all host WSL matches at their main stadiums.
However, Brighton's new stadium will be the first purpose-built ground for a women's team in England's top flight.
While this is a novel concept in Europe, the world's first stadium designed exclusively for women's football opened in the United States. Kansas City Current have played at the CPKC Stadium for the past two seasons. Additionally, the new US franchise Denver Summit is constructing its own stadium, planned to open for the 2028 season.
"To have a stadium designed specifically for the women's team is a significant moment for the game," said Brighton manager Dario Vidosic.
"It shows real intent and it tells players across the world that we are serious about high performance and long term success."
Supported by owner Tony Bloom, the club initially aimed to complete the stadium by 2027-28 but faced setbacks in securing land.
In 2025, chief executive Paul Barber informed that the club was investigating the safety of various pitch surfaces as part of the stadium plans, aiming to reduce injury risk.
Brighton conducted research in partnership with local universities to ensure the playing surface would be suitable for elite female players.
"Environment is crucial for me, every day, and I have seen the impact of the club's multi-million-pound investment in the state-of-the-art training facilities," Vidosic added.
"When players feel valued in the spaces they train and compete in, standards rise. This creates the conditions to push the team forward and continue to compete at the highest level."
In 2021, the women's team moved into the American Express Elite Football Performance Centre, a facility resulting from an £8.5 million investment.
The centre includes a gym, medical centre, changing areas, recovery facilities, swimming pools, and advanced training pitches.
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