ALLOWING fans to drink alcohol in the stands is set to be trialled in the Women’s Championship, the league’s chief executive has said.

Drinking in sight of the pitch is banned in the top five tiers of the English men’s game.

However, the legislation does not cover the women’s game, and Nikki Doucet, the chief executive of Women’s Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL), said trials are set to get under way.

“We are testing that actually in a couple of teams in the Championship this season and we’ll see what we learn from that,” Doucet said at The Summit, part of Leaders Week London.

“I think our fan base and the behaviour is different (to the men’s game), and I think ultimately it’s about being able to give our fans choices, while obviously maintaining the safety and what we need to do in terms of being responsible.”

The WPLL is understood to be in discussion with key stakeholders about the proposal. Its competition rules do not currently permit alcohol within sight of the pitch, but this will be reviewed through this pilot.

A fan-led review recommended a pilot in the men’s game at League Two and National League matches back in 2022, but the idea was dismissed by Britain’s football policing lead, Chief Constable Mark Roberts.

“I see no evidence base for it, I don’t see a massive clamour for it,” he said in September of that year.

“I think the situation we’ve got is perfectly acceptable and I remain absolutely opposed to any relaxation of alcohol in football.”