UK and Europe's first purpose-built women's football stadium to be opened

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Martin Macdonald | Writer

Content writer covering football, formula 1 and movies

Brighton & Hove Albion will construct the UK and Europe's first purpose-built women's football stadium.

At the moment, there are only two purpose-built stadiums for women's football in the world - Kansas City's CPKC Stadium and new US franchise Denver Summit's venue, which will open in 2028.

Brighton will build the new stadium on Bennett's Field across from the men's American Express Stadium and it is set to hold a minimum of 10,000 spectators.

A club statement said:

"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 reaffirms the club's long-standing commitment to the women's and girls' game, adding to the significant investment in dedicated training and administration facilities at the American Express Elite Football Performance Centre in Lancing, just 20 minutes to the west of the stadium site.

We are pleased to confirm plans for the UK and Europe's first purpose-built women's football stadium. 🏟️

It will be one of only three such stadiums in the world, putting the club at the forefront of the women's game globally. 🤩💫

— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) April 28, 2026

"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."

Due to the increasing popularity of the women's game in England, women's teams have taken to making men's venues their home in recent years. Chelsea Women made Stamford Bridge their permanent home this month, while Arsenal, Aston Villa and Leicester City all their WSL matches at the club's main stadiums.

Brighton 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."

Being constructed with a 'built for her' philosophy, the new stadium will cater specifically to the needs of women's athletes. The club will also make sure the new venue is as family-friendly as possible with "wider concourses, social spaces and an event-day atmosphere focused on music, entertainment and community."

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."

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