From the start of the 2025/26 season, Goodison Park will be the home of Everton Women after it escaped demolition which has received a positive reaction from fans.
On Sunday, the last ball was to be kicked at Goodison as Everton Men took on Southampton. Still, the owners, Friedkin Group, have decided to keep the ground after an in-depth review of the Goodison Legacy project.
The women’s side finished the Women’s Super League season in eighth place and have been playing at Walton Hall Park, which has a capacity of 2,200, since the start of 2020.
Everton Football Club is proud to announce that Goodison Park will become the permanent home of Everton Women from the start of the 2025/26 season! 🔵🔽
— Everton (@Everton) May 13, 2025
Now they will have the largest dedicated women’s football stadium in the United Kingdom. Everton fan Tom Neal believes the situation is a positive for the club.
“I am all for it! Neal expressed. “I really like the idea of Goodison being the home of the women’s team as it will not only attract more fans to watch the games but also keep Goodison standing.
“Having the women’s first team call it home will introduce new fans to the female game. I can almost guarantee that most season ticket holders will revisit Goodison to watch a game at least once in the coming years, which is great for the sport and a fanbase.”
The women’s game has progressed rapidly over the last few years, with 87,192 people in attendance at Wembley Stadium for the Euro 2022 final, when England overcame Germany. According to an FA study in 2024, attendances have increased by 239% since 2021/22.
In Gloucestershire, Cheltenham Town and Forest Green Rovers both have their women’s sides play at different venues to the men’s side with the games taking place at Kayte Lane and Hartpury University respectively.
Arsenal Women committed to playing at least eleven games at the Emirates Stadium for 24/25, which initially included eight WSL matches and the three-group stage UWCL matches. This was a big step up from their previous seasons, but it has been a huge success with them averaging around 30,000 a game which highlights the appeal and shows what is possible at Goodison.
“We owe a lot of thanks to the Friedkin Group,” Neal said. “It would have been so easy to completely disregard Goodison and demolish it. They have been open-minded and realised that they can afford to keep it running for the Women in a bid that will ultimately increase revenue.
“I’d love to see a competitive Everton Women’s team; I think this decision is in keeping with being ‘the people’s club’ and I fully support it.”
Having Goodison still standing means there is always an opportunity for the men’s side to return after this weekend’s Premier League game for friendlies or other events, a move which could be seen as controversial.
“I would like to see the Men’s team potentially play there again,” Neal added. “Maybe during a pre-season friendly or testimonial game. We will have to see what the future holds, but I’m glad that Goodison is being kept alive a little longer.”
