Alcohol was previously not allowed in Premier League games but football fans are set to be allowed to enjoy the liquor for the first time in 37 years.
The present restriction on drinking during games, which has been in effect in the top five divisions of English football since 1985, will be reviewed, according to ministers.
Additionally, they will approve a trial program to examine the viability of alcohol consumption near the field of play, which might open the door to at-seat drinking at the highest levels of the game for the first time in nearly four decades.
The former sports minister Tracey Crouch’s fan-driven review of football, which released its findings in November, advocated for the present ban.
The 10 strategic recommendations from the assessment, which include suggestions to test drinking during matches, were adopted by the government in April 2022. Specifics will be provided in a White Paper this summer.
While it is prohibited to drink during football games, supporter groups argue that football should be brought into line since spectators are permitted to drink while watching other sports.
The EFL notes that the continued restriction is costing its clubs a significant source of income.
If alcohol was permitted in seats, the EFL estimates that teams would profit from an average gain in income of £2 per fan for each home game.
Each season, EFL teams might get a windfall of about £35 million from the Championship, League One, and League Two. If a ban was lifted, the move would be anticipated to be worth about £30M annually in the Premier League if the impact was equivalent in the top division.
However, the UK Football Policing Unit is anticipated to oppose this. Chief Constable Mark Roberts of the Cheshire Police, the UK’s top football law enforcement official, previously told Sportsmail that lifting the prohibition on drinking during games at stadiums was “madness.”
At English football matches, is alcohol permitted?
According to the Sports Event (Control of Alcohol etc.) Act of 1985, it is unlawful to enter a football field while intoxicated (which in practice includes engaging in disorderly behavior), as well as to engage in drunken behavior in an unattended stadium.
Are Beers Allowed At Premier League Games?
Currently, Football League stadiums permit alcohol consumption on the concourses but not in the seats, thus spectators are free to do so before kickoff and during halftime.
In England, is alcohol permitted during football games?
In England, it is not permitted to consume alcohol while watching football, in contrast to other sports like rugby or cricket. It is one of the few sports where spectators are prohibited from drinking behind the scenes.
