Brighton hope to build women’s stadium by start of 2027-28 season

Barber believes a purpose-built stadium is “important” to give “respect and focus” on the women’s team.

He hopes it will help the club build a fanbase and capitalise on the growth of women’s football in England.

“Every club in the country, I think, is looking at how it can integrate women’s and girls’ football more into its mainstream operations,” added Barber.

“Some clubs have got different strategies to us but we feel that a women’s stadium would be a wonderful thing to have back in the city.

“We think it would help us build an audience for the women’s team that we don’t currently have and we see this as a long-term project.

“The women’s game is growing rapidly and we see it as a very viable proposition for the future.”

Brighton’s plans for the stadium include a “slightly modular” approach that will allow them to expand the size of it as the audience grows.

But Barber admitted it is “not inconceivable” that both the men’s and the women’s first teams would play regularly at the American Express Stadium in the future.

“I don’t want to put numbers on it at the moment because that would be a bit premature when we’re still talking to the stakeholders and local authorities,” he added.

“Ultimately, at some point in the future, it’s not inconceivable that we would unite both our men’s and women’s teams back in the AMEX – when we’ve been able to perhaps modify some of the facilities we have to suit the women’s team.

“But in the short-term and medium-term, I think a purpose-built women’s stadium is the right way for us to grow our programme.”