Original Summary

Getty Images / The law permits supporters at stadiums from the Premier League to National League to drink alcohol outside the ground and in concourses, but not in their seats When UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham embarked on his trip to the United Nations in New York, he might not have been expecting a question about football fans drinking alcohol in grounds. Burnham firmly believes the law that prevents supporters from having a beer at their seat during a match is outdated. It's a position the Everton supporter has long held, and when asked was happy to reaffirm. "I do believe there is a case to remove that discrimination," said Burnham, who feels football fans are singled out compared to those of other sports and events. There is no suggestion this is about to become official government policy, and last year MPs rejected a Conservative amendment to the Football Governance Bill that would have forced ministers to launch a formal consultation on scrapping the rule. That was, of course, before Burnham returned to Downing Street. It is a complicated and divisive issue, about not just safety. But it it something that match-going supporters actually want? What the law says Drinking alcohol at football grounds in England and Wales has been strictly controlled since the Sporting Events Control of Alcohol Act was introduced in 1985. It was brought in to counter escalating hooliganism through the 1970s and into the 1980s. The ban impacts clubs in the Premier League down to the National League. While beer can be sold, it must be consumed in areas that do not have a view of the pitch. Yet fans who support teams in the National League North and South and below can drink alcohol around the pitch. The ban is more strict in Scotland, with a law in place since 1981 that alcohol is only available in hospitality areas and not for other fans. It was initially imposed following a riot during the 1980 Scottish Cup final between Rangers and Celtic at Hampden. However, attitudes have been changing in recent seasons. It was lifted as part of a pilot scheme last year, with several Scottish clubs selling alcohol in clearly defined, monitored areas of the stadiums. It started with lower-level clubs, eventually being extended to the Premiership. The Scotland national team joined the trial for the friendlies against Japan and Curacao earlier this year. It has been extended to games against Switzerland on 29 September and Slovenia next month. The Women's Super League in England has just completed two seasons of successful trials and the rule preventing drinking in the stands has now been removed by the league's governing company, WSL Football. The women's game is not governed by the Sporting Events Control of Alcohol Act, enabling the competition organiser to make the change. Is there support for the move within English football's corridors of power? Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said in August the competition had not "got a specific view" and "we'd need to give it some really careful thought". The English Football League, however, issued a statement on Thursday that said it would be "receptive to discussions around reviewing the current legislation". It added member clubs had already provided "a mandate to lobby for appropriate reform" which had "not kept pace with significant developments in stadium management, safety and stewarding". Fans' views differ on drinking in stands Should alcohol be allowed in football stands? The Football Supporters' Association has for some time backed changing the law. Like the prime minister, it considers it to be unfair on football fans. "I think it is outdated," FSA chairman Tom Greatrex told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme. "If you go to watch football in Germany or in other places around the world, then it's perfectly acceptable. "It is civilised and appropriate. There's no reason why that shouldn't be the case for football fans, as it is for fans of rugby league, watching Oasis, or anything else that happens often in the same stadiums in the same seats." The FSA's position is that clubs should have the choice, in consultation with supporters, to sell alcohol. Clubs might want to offer it in all stands, others in designated areas, while a few might choose not to do so at all. Other sports offer designated alcohol-free sections, something that football clubs may wish to copy for some families and supporters who do not consume alcohol because of their religion. The FSA acknowledges this, but believes having the option to make such decisions is important. It believes relaxing the law would be more popular the further down the leagues you go, where alcohol sales could potentially provide a crucial additional income stream. The UK Football Policing Unit rejected the suggestion, arguing alcohol plays "a significant part in violent and disorderly behaviour" and that "other sports simply don't see the violence and criminal behaviour" that football does. Yet for Greatrex, there is already proof police are not open to ideas through their previous opposition to safe standing. Before it was introduced four years ago, Mark Roberts, who has been the national lead for football policing since 2014, told the BBC it would make it "easier to throw missiles, engage in hate chanting, racism, sneak alcohol in, take cocaine". "[The police] were telling everybody that we couldn't have standing at football again, that it would jeopardise safety, " Greatrex said. "Actually, what we saw then was a controlled, managed pilot projects to get that re-established. "There hasn't been the level of disorder that some of the police sources were saying there would be. I think the police should have more of an open mind and engage in this in a sensible and mature way." Getty Images / Scottish football has slowly started to relax the ban of alcohol sales at matches but fans continue to protest for this to move at a faster pace. For many match-going fans, however, the prospect of beer being thrown and po

中文概览

中文标题： 足球比赛饮酒——球迷会欢迎吗？

英格兰和威尔士自1985年《体育赛事酒精管制法》以来严格限制足球场饮酒；英超至国家联赛允许在无球场视野区域售酒，但不得在座位饮酒。苏格兰1981年起禁止，近年试行部分区域售酒。女足超级联赛已取消看台饮酒禁令。英超未明确表态，英格兰足球联盟称愿讨论改革，球迷协会支持修改，但球迷看法不一。

  • 情报分类：综合情报
  • 分类依据：体育政策与社会议题，不属专业类别
  • 信息来源：英语新闻 / BBC News Top Stories
  • 发布时间：2026/9/24 22:09:46