Should football fans be allowed to drink in sight of the pitch?
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said the law that stops football fans drinking alcohol in sight of the pitch is outdated and should be reconsidered.
Burnham, who supports Everton, said football supporters face discrimination compared with supporters of other sports and events. He called the rule "unfair", in comments first reported by The Guardian.
His remarks do not amount to a policy commitment. There is no suggestion that repeal is about to become official government policy, according to BBC Sport. MPs have already rejected a Conservative amendment to the Football Governance Bill, the planned law on an independent regulator for English football, that would have required ministers to hold a formal consultation on scrapping the rule.
In England and Wales the position rests on the Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc.) Act 1985. The Act was passed to counter hooliganism in the 1970s and 1980s. It covers the Premier League down to the National League. Beer can be sold inside those grounds but must be drunk in areas with no view of the pitch, such as the concourse. Below that level, in the National League North and South and lower, fans can drink alcohol around the pitch.
Scotland has a separate law. It has operated a stricter regime since 1981, with alcohol limited to hospitality areas. It was imposed after disorder at the 1980 Scottish Cup final between Rangers and Celtic at Hampden. That ban has since been eased under a pilot scheme, with several clubs selling alcohol in defined, monitored areas. The pilot started with lower-level clubs and was later extended to the Premiership. The Scotland national team joined the pilot for friendlies against Japan and Curacao, extended to games against Switzerland on 29 September and Slovenia the next month.
The women's game in England sits outside that framework. It is not governed by the Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc.) Act, which allowed the competition organiser to act. The Women's Super League completed two seasons of trials and WSL Football has removed the rule preventing drinking in the stands.
Stakeholder positions are now on the record. Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said in August the league had no specific view on the ban and that any change would need careful thought. The English Football League said it would be receptive to discussions around reviewing the current legislation. It said EFL member clubs have provided a mandate to lobby for reform on the grounds the legislation has not kept pace with stadium management, safety and stewarding. The Football Supporters' Association backs changing the law, with chairman Tom Greatrex calling the current ban outdated.
The broader context here is legislative rather than cultural. Ministers have a live vehicle in the Football Governance Bill but have so far resisted even a duty to consult. That tells Whitehall watchers where the issue sits in the order of priorities. A prime ministerial signal creates space for debate without incurring the cost of ownership.
Looking at what this means for next steps, the devolution picture will shape any reform. England and Wales share the 1985 Act. Scotland has its own statute and its own evidence base from the pilot. The WSL experience provides a further, English-based test of stewarding and stadium management. For officials, the question will be whether those pilots reduce half-time concourse pressure without increasing disorder, and whether clubs and police will carry the risk. That is a Home Office as well as a culture department calculation. No timetable has been set.
