Has the time come to separate home and away fans at WSL games?

With interest in the Women’s Super League on the rise and more clubs playing at their main stadiums, there are questions over whether to separate supporters into stricter home and away sections, as in the men’s game, or to continue with mixed seating and optional away ends.

From the 2023-24 season, new league regulations required clubs to include an away-ticketing policy in their licensing agreements, a move backed by the Football Supporters’ Association (FSA).

The issue became a bigger talking point following the expedited growth of women’s football after Euro 2022. The SheGulls supporters’ club for Brighton Women said: “Now there are bigger and more passionate crowds with louder voices commanding more respect and attention. Put two sets of them together, and you can expect issues as we see on occasions at the moment.”

Under the policy, travelling fans wishing to sit with their own supporters can do so in a designated area, while others retain the choice of where they want to sit. Some supporters believe separation is a foregone conclusion. SheGulls added: “It would be nice to live in a world where it isn’t required, but the truth is it can be hard enough to generate an atmosphere at home from within our own fan base, never mind if they’re interspersed with Arsenal or Chelsea fans, for example. It feels inevitable.”

Dedicated away seating has been welcomed by, among others, Manchester City Women Official Supporters Club (MCWFC OSC), who cite an “increase in Manchester City supporters at away matches” as having “given a real boost to the atmosphere in stadiums”.

The FSA has taken a keen interest in developments and a spokesperson said: “The FSA and its members helped advocate for dedicated away sections, to help create community, atmosphere and allow travelling fans to connect, and to have a visible travelling fan section for away players to look towards.”

The infrastructure is already in place to segregate fan bases in most stadiums, where it is established for men’s games, but there is no stipulated away-ticket allocation owing to varying stadium sizes. Manchester United Women’s Supporters Club (MUWSC) feels supporter segregation could be a good move. “This doesn’t feel like a bad thing; segregation often results in an increased atmosphere which players regularly comment on as a positive thing,” it said.

Some experiments have taken place, with the WSL-run League Cup final using “club ends” behind the goals with mixed seating in the other stands, a model also used at FA Cup finals and at the 2025 Euros.

The FSA added: “It is important now to look at whether home-only sections might be helpful for the same reasons: visibility, community and atmosphere. For us, this is about fan choice rather than ‘segregation’, and that choice is really important to an enjoyable matchday experience for all. It is important to consider general and neutral fans in the conversation, too, and there may not be a one-size-fits-all answer for every club.”

The current policies used in the league were developed through dialogue among the league, its member clubs and fans, through the FSA. This collaboration has enabled initiatives such as the Fan Choice trial and the Stadium Design Guidance. The belief is that the women’s game requires a distinct approach as its fanbase grows.

Tottenham, for example, have embraced the mixed home and away seating format. The club is understood to view its flexibility and family-friendly environment as a way to maintain atmosphere. It is felt an inclusive environment does not diminish the passion or noise levels of home supporters. However, it is also understood that the club may consider trialling a more segregated model if it is proven to improve the overall product and help the game grow.

There are potential pitfalls with segregated stadiums. MCWFC OSC said separating fans often is not practical: “Even when matches are held at the main stadia, the men’s away end isn’t always used due to lower attendances. Clubs often keep fans together in just one or two stands to reduce operational costs so that traditional segregation can be impractical or simply unnecessary.”

SheGulls said: “There are some minor concerns about the way the game is going in terms of the need for segregation, but equally many think if we were segregated, or had the option of say a mixed zone, it would alleviate the angst that is sometimes caused by the current system.”

Creating a good atmosphere is key and many of the fan groups point out that supporters can still sing if they are in a mixed area. MUWSC has chants adapted for all ages, as well as a songbook where fans can look up the lyrics and join in. “There are so many positives about the environment that has been created in the women’s game, but remembering that welcoming atmospheres don’t mean you have to be quiet, and that being inclusive doesn’t mean never saying anything negative about the opposition.”

Arsenal, meanwhile, have a separate away section for all WSL home fixtures at the Emirates, with the infrastructure already in place from men’s matches. It is felt this helps create a more competitive atmosphere and gives opposition fans a dedicated space. While Arsenal have a dedicated away end, away fans are still able to sit in “home” sections, especially families or groups with mixed loyalties.

Chelsea are staging all 13 of their home WSL matches at Stamford Bridge, which has a designated away end, this season, following consultation with players and supporter groups. The club are launching a new fan engagement project, The Blueprint, to help shape matchday culture and atmosphere. That is similar to Arsenal’s Block by Block initiative, introduced when they began playing all their WSL matches at the Emirates.

Chelsea host Arsenal in the WSL on Sunday, with the visitors selling out their allocated away tickets for the second consecutive time. Last season, Arsenal fans who missed out on away-end tickets sat in home sections alongside Chelsea supporters, raising questions around segregation.

The FSA has praised the clubs’ approach to collaborating with their fans: “We believe clubs should consult with their own fans to come up with local solutions that allow passion and vibrant support, but that keep the game welcoming and inclusive for all.”

As the league grows, so do the needs of different, growing fan bases, making it a key point of discussion among clubs, supporters and the league for the foreseeable future.

What do you think? Have your say below the line or email moving.goalposts@theguardian.com.

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Recommended listening Faye Carruthers is joined by Suzanne Wrack, Emma Sanders and Freddie Cardy to discuss the weekend’s WSL action. Listen here.

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