Liverpool Football Club (LFC) has announced that LFC Women will play their home games at the St Helens Stadium in Merseyside from the start of 2024-25. The club’s ambition is to also play a number of fixtures at Anfield.
The club says that the new home is a huge positive step forward in the progress of the women’s side, with a brand-new, high-performance Premier League-standard pitch being laid, enhanced and exclusive-use player facilities, and an improved matchday experience for supporters.
The stadium will continue to be home and property of St. Helens R.F.C., with its men’s and women’s rugby league teams also benefiting from the pitch upgrade. With the rugby league season running from February through to September, LFC Women will have sole occupancy of the stadium for almost half of the season.
The team will also enjoy having their own bespoke dressing room for the first time, and the red stadium will be revamped for home games to make it look and feel part of the LFC family, including the addition of the club crest and other significant branding.
St Helens Stadium was chosen as part of a wider review of stadium options with the Prenton Park agreement coming to an end this season. The decision was made in consultation with players, staff, fans via the club’s Supporters Board, and fan surveys.
LFC says the new 10-year lease at St Helens demonstrates its long-term commitment to its women’s team and the club’s ongoing desire to provide the players and staff with the best facilities possible, fulfilling the ambitions for LFC Women and supporting its continued growth.
The club was keen to ensure the facilities provided for the women’s team on a matchday are the best possible for the players and also to provide a great experience for its growing supporter base.
This move enables the club to deliver an improved matchday experience, not only around the ground but inside with the covered concourses, so fans can expect to see an enhanced offering – from music, face painting, food and drinks through to kids’ kickabouts and lots more. There will also be an enhanced food and drinks offering for fans, as well as an opportunity to improve the retail provision for match-goers.
The move to St Helens Stadium follows the significant investment in the acquisition and redevelopment of the AXA Melwood Training Centre, making it one of the best women’s training facilities in the Barclays Women’s Super League. There is also continued investment in the squad, backroom and wider infrastructure of the women’s first team and Pro Game Academy.
“This is another step forward for our women’s first team and we’re so excited to relocate to a new long-term home, said Susan Black, LFC’s director of communications and Liverpool FC Women executive director. “Our players and incredible supporters were at the forefront of our decision-making process. We are confident St Helens will be a great matchday home and will look and feel part of the Liverpool family. Our next chapter for our women’s first team is about building solid foundation stones and today’s matchday venue announcement is another positive step forward on our journey.”
LFC Women manager Matt Beard said: “This is the exciting next chapter on our journey, and I’m absolutely delighted with this investment from the club. At the heart of this move are the two most important groups at the club: the players and the fans. The players will have a wonderful new pitch and facilities to enjoy, while the matchday experience for the supporters will be so much improved. We’ve built up a loyal following at Prenton Park and we look forward to welcoming them to St Helens along with hopefully opening up the women’s game to many new supporters as well.”
“We are delighted to welcome LFC Women and their supporters to our stadium for their home games starting next season,” said Eamonn McManus, chairman of St. Helens R.F.C. “The arrangement will provide St. Helens R.F.C. with a new state-of-the-art pitch, as well as additional income streams for our club. Liverpool FC is a world-renowned football club and sporting institution, and LFC Women are a leading participant in the rapidly growing Women’s Super League. It is high-profile recognition that our stadium and its facilities meet the ever-increasing requirements of this prestigious competition.”
David Hutchinson, general manager of St. Helens R.F.C., said: “We are very proud to have secured this partnership with Liverpool FC Women at a time when women’s sport is at a pivotal stage in its growth and development. This comes at a time when participation, media exposure and commercial awareness for women’s football and rugby are at an all-time high. Hosting Liverpool FC Women will increase visitors to the stadium and offer up fantastic crossover opportunities for both our sports.”
LFC Foundation will also be expanding its reach and will look to launch projects specifically for the St Helens area to support girls in sport with more funding for community projects.
