Football fans will be allowed to drink alcohol at their seats for the first time in 45 years at tonight’s Scotland women’s World Cup qualifier.
 
The Scottish FA has revealed the historic alcohol licence has been granted by Renfrewshire Council for the controlled sale of alcohol at Paisley’s St Mirren Park.
 
This is the first time since 1981 that fans can drink in their seats and follows the success of similar initiatives at Barclays Hampden for Scottish Men’s National Team matches earlier this year, and at other matches across the SPFL since the start of last season.
 
Alcohol will be available for purchase at kiosk locations in the West and East Stands at the home of St Mirren FC in the Marbill Coaches Stadium and can be consumed in the seating deck.
 
This is the first time in decades that supporters at a professional game in Scotland will have been able to buy alcohol in view of the pitch. 
 
Scotland Head Coach Melissa Andreatta told STV Sport the move will add to the atmosphere at the match against Czechia.
 
“It adds to the matchday experience for the fans”, she said.
 
“Our football also adds to that experience, and we’ve got half-time entertainment as well so I think this will be a matchday experience like no other.
 
“And we just want to make sure that the football adds to that and does most of the talking too.”

Alcohol will be sold from turnstiles opening at 5:45pm until 15 minutes into the start of the second half.

Beer will be available on tap in the West Stand concourse and the South-East side of the Main Stand, while the North-East side will have bottle service. These sales will be managed in full accordance with licencing regulations, with appropriate security and stewarding measures in place.

The North and South Stands have been designated as alcohol free, and alcohol will not be allowed to be consumed in those stands. Unlike men’s football in the UK, the women’s professional game is not covered by legislation which prohibits the consumption of alcohol in view of the pitch.

The aim of the initiative is to explore how a managed approach to alcohol sales can contribute to a positive and safe matchday experience. It follows previous successful trials of the hospitality offering at St Mirren’s home ground in the William Hill Premiership over the last 12 months.

This play-off is the first time the Scotland Women’s National Team have played in Paisley since 2021 as they continue their bid to reach the tournament finals in Brazil 2027.

Victory over two legs against Czechia would tee up a play-off final against Lithuania or Sweden in December.

A Scottish FA spokesperson said: “This is another significant step forward in the ongoing piloting of controlled alcohol consumption inside stadia.

“For the first time in decades, supporters in designated areas of the stadium can consume alcohol, purchased from concourse kiosks, in their seats.

“These sales will be managed in full accordance with licensing regulations, with appropriate security and stewarding measures in place. The aim of the initiative is to explore how a managed approach to alcohol sales can contribute to a positive and safe matchday experience.”