As International Women’s Day 2026 approaches (Sunday, 8 March), attention will rightly focus on participation, pay gaps and representation in sport. But a more consequential shift is taking place in the physical spaces in which sport happens.

The rise of women’s sport is exposing how outdated many UK stadiums have become. Attendances have surged by 239% in three years, yet most stadiums remain calibrated for a narrower, older demographic.

In late 2025, the Women’s Super League published the world’s first design guidance for elite women’s football venues. This arrived just as Brighton secured approval for England’s first purpose-built stadium for the women’s game.

The central question is whether our planning system will evolve quickly enough to capture the economic opportunity that this represents.