Andy Burnham wants to lift the 41-year drinking ban inside football stadiums in a surprising new move.
Andy Burnham is campaigning to lift the ban on fans drinking alcohol during men’s football matches, calling the rule “discrimination.”
Back in 1985, Margaret Thatcher banned drinking alcohol in view of the pitch in the top five levels of men’s football. At that time, then-Home Secretary Leon Brittan said alcohol was a big cause of violence and trouble at football games. Now, almost 40 years later, the Football Supporters Association (FSA) thinks this old rule needs to be looked at again, and Andy Burnham agrees.
Besides leading the Labour Party and being Prime Minister, Burnham is a huge football fan and supports Everton. Just before he became Prime Minister, the 56-year-old spoke out against the rule after going to a rugby league game at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium, where fans could have a drink while watching.
Right now, football fans can buy alcohol inside the stadium but have to leave the view of the pitch to actually drink it. This rule doesn’t apply at rugby league or cricket matches.
When asked if his view had changed since becoming Prime Minister during a trip to the United Nations in New York, Burnham said something many fans will agree with.
“I think that law comes from a time when football was very different,” Burnham said. “I believe it’s fair to rethink this rule. It could be tried out as an experiment. But I’m not changing my long-held view — it’s not fair that fans of one sport are treated differently from others.”
BBC News says the government is open to the idea of a trial to see if this change could work.
A similar change has already been made in women’s football. This July, the top two levels of women’s football, the WSL and WSL2, announced that fans can now drink in the stands after an 18-month trial that started in January 2025.
When asked for their thoughts, a spokesperson for the UK Football Policing Unit (UKFPU) said alcohol often plays a big part in violent and disorderly behaviour, but they would be happy to meet with the Prime Minister to talk about the possible changes.
“The UKFPU would welcome a chance to discuss the Prime Minister’s views and explain the challenges these changes might bring for policing and safety at matches,” the spokesperson said.
“Other sports don’t have the same levels of violence and crime linked to their fans as football does, even if it’s just a small number, and alcohol often plays a big role in this. It wouldn’t be responsible to increase alcohol consumption during games.
“After several football tragedies, changes were made following the Taylor Report for good reasons, and we’re now in the longest period without a major football disaster.
“It would be very risky to make big changes without fully looking at the evidence and talking to police experts who understand these issues.”