Andy Burnham backs ending beer ban for football fans

When UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham travelled to the United Nations in New York, a reporter asked whether football supporters should be allowed to drink alcohol in their seats. The minister, an Everton fan, said the law that stops fans from having a beer at the pitch is outdated and should be scrapped.

Current legislation across the leagues

The law permits supporters at stadiums from the Premier League down to the National League to drink alcohol outside the ground and in concourses, but it bars consumption while seated. This restriction applies to every football event, meaning fans can only enjoy a drink in designated areas that do not overlook the pitch.

Historical background and regional differences

Alcohol control at English and Welsh football grounds has been governed by the Sporting Events Control of Alcohol Act since 1985, introduced to curb the hooliganism of the 1970s and early 1980s. While the ban reaches clubs in the Premier League and National League, supporters of teams in the National League North and South can already drink around the pitch. Scotland operates a stricter regime introduced in 1981 after a riot at the 1980 Scottish Cup final, allowing alcohol only in hospitality suites.

Changing attitudes and recent trials

Recent seasons have seen the rule relaxed in several contexts. A pilot scheme in Scotland last year let clubs sell alcohol in monitored stadium zones, a practice later extended to the Premiership and to the Scotland national team for friendlies against Japan, Curacao, Switzerland and Slovenia. In England, the Women's Super League removed the ban entirely, as the competition is not covered by the 1985 Act.

Pocognoli says Scotland stay on track after Slovenia defeat

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said in August that the competition has no specific view on the issue and would need "really careful thought" before any change. The English Football League, however, issued a statement saying it would be "receptive to discussions around reviewing the current legislation" and noted that member clubs have already given a mandate to lobby for reform.

The Football Supporters' Association has long backed reform, with chairman Tom Greatrex telling BBC Radio 4's Today programme, "I think it is outdated. If you go to watch football in Germany or elsewhere, it is perfectly acceptable. It is civilised and appropriate." The FSA argues that clubs should decide, in consultation with supporters, whether to sell alcohol venue‑wide, in designated sections, or not at all, mirroring practices in other sports.

There is no indication that the government will move to change the law imminently. Last year MPs rejected a Conservative amendment to the Football Governance Bill that would have forced a formal consultation on scrapping the rule, and Burnham returned to Downing Street before any policy shift was announced.