Arsenal Women to participate in alcohol fan choice pilots for WSL home games

Arsenal Women will take part in the alcohol fan choice pilot for the 2025-26 WSL season for games at Emirates Stadium. The Gunners are due to play all 11 of their WSL home games at the Emirates and, as part of a trial rolling out across selected clubs in the top two tiers of women’s football, supporters will be allowed to drink alcohol in their seats in selected areas of the stadium.

Consuming alcohol in full view of the pitch has been outlawed at football games in the UK since 1985, initially this was designed to stem the flow of crowd violence endemic at football matches during this period. The WSL2 took part in a limited trial for fans to be able to take alcoholic beverages to their seats last season and now the pilot is being extended to more teams in the top two divisions.

This only applies to WSL games at Emirates Stadium and, per Arsenal’s announcement, ‘In this initial trial phase, alcohol consumption will be limited to specific areas of Emirates Stadium up to around 20,000 seats, with other areas remaining alcohol-free. These areas will be clearly signposted to supporters when purchasing tickets.’

Arsenal also say, ‘Our involvement in the pilot comes with the support of representatives of our organised supporter groups, and approval from the Arsenal Safety Advisory Group…Supporters who have already purchased season tickets or six-game ticket bundles will soon receive additional information via email, including instructions for supporters who now wish to move into or out of one of the areas included in the pilot.’

Meanwhile, Arsenal have announced new squad numbers for a selection of their academy players for next season, per the following:

Michelle Agyemang – 29
Laila Harbert – 30
Jessie Gale – 33
Cecily Wellesley-Smith – 36
Viv Lia – 37
Maddy Earl – 38

This change is simply admin and should not be read as indicative either way about whether or not some of these players go out on loan next season. This means that Arsenal Women’s current squad numbers for next season are as follows:

1.Zinsberger
2.Fox
3.Wubben-Moy
5.L.Codina
6.Williamson
7.Catley
8.Mariona
9.Mead
10.Little (c)
11.McCabe
12.L.Maanum
13.Walti
14.van Domselaar
15.Smith
16.Kafaji
18.Kelly
19.Foord
21.Pelova
22.Nighswonger
23.Russo
24.Hinds
25.Blackstenius
26.Wienroither
28.Borbe
29.Agyemang
30.Harbert
32.Cooney-Cross
33.Gale
36.Wellesley-Smith
37.Lia
38.Earl
40.Williams

Katie Reid had number 62 last season but has not been wearing a number on her training kit so far this pre-season.

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