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Burnham Renews Push to Let Football Fans Drink in Their Seats

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PM Andy Burnham backs scrapping the 1985 ban on drinking in view of the pitch, as Scotland and the WSL run alcohol trials.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham used a trip to the United Nations in New York to restate his view that supporters should be allowed to drink alcohol in their seats at football grounds, telling reporters on 24 September 2026 that the current restriction should go. A lifelong Everton fan, Burnham said the four-decade-old rule treats football crowds unfairly compared with spectators at other sports and events.

"I do believe there is a case to remove that discrimination," Burnham said, arguing that supporters are singled out. He has held the position for years and repeated it when the topic came up unexpectedly during the UN visit.

Despite the prime minister's stance, there is no indication the government plans to change the law. Last year, MPs voted down a Conservative amendment to the Football Governance Bill that would have obliged ministers to open a formal consultation on ending the rule. That vote came before Burnham returned to Downing Street, leaving open the question of whether the issue might resurface under his leadership.

The 1985 Act and where it applies

Restrictions on drinking at grounds in England and Wales date to the Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc.) Act, passed in 1985 to tackle the crowd violence that had grown through the 1970s and early 1980s. Under the law, clubs may sell beer, but supporters cannot drink it anywhere with a view of the pitch. The rule covers every division from the Premier League down to the National League.

The line falls just below that level. Supporters of clubs in the National League North and South, and in the tiers beneath, are permitted to drink pitchside. The gap means fans at some smaller grounds enjoy freedoms denied to those watching top-flight matches.

Scotland operates a tighter regime. A law introduced in 1981 confined alcohol sales to hospitality areas, keeping it away from ordinary supporters. The measure followed disorder at the 1980 Scottish Cup final between Rangers and Celtic at Hampden, when the match ended in a riot.

Trials in Scotland and the women's game

That long-standing position has begun to soften. A pilot scheme launched last season allowed several Scottish clubs to sell alcohol in marked-off, supervised zones inside their stadiums. The experiment began at lower-league grounds before reaching the Premiership.

The national side has also taken part. Scotland offered alcohol at friendlies against Japan and Curacao earlier this year, and the arrangement now covers the fixtures against Switzerland on 29 September and Slovenia the following month.

England's women's game has moved further still. After two seasons of trials that organisers judged a success, WSL Football scrapped the rule barring drinking in the stands across the Women's Super League. The competition was able to act on its own because the women's game sits outside the scope of the 1985 Act, giving its organiser the authority to decide.

Support within English football's leadership remains uncertain. Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said in August that the competition had not "got a specific view" on the matter and that officials "would need to give it some really careful thought." His comments suggested no rush toward a decision at the top of the men's game.

Whether supporters themselves want the change is a further open question, and one that goes beyond safety concerns. The Scottish and WSL trials offer early evidence, but the men's professional game in England and Wales continues to operate under the framework put in place in 1985.

Andy Burnham football alcohol, Sporting Events Control of Alcohol Act, drinking at football matches, Premier League alcohol ban, Scotland alcohol pilot, Women's Super League alcohol trial, Football Governance Bill, Richard Masters

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