Brighton’s Amex hosted back-to-back Women’s Rugby World Cup matches.
Brighton & Hove Albion have completed a hat-trick of hosting world-class sporting events, following the 2015 Men’s Rugby World Cup and the 2022 Women’s Euros, by staging two matches at last month’s Women’s Rugby World Cup.
More than two years in the making, the Amex hosted back-to-back games on the tournament’s third weekend drawing over 60,000 fans.
England’s Red Roses beat Australia on their way to lifting the trophy, while New Zealand defeated Ireland the following day.
The Amex delivered rugby thrills last month.placeholder image
The Amex delivered rugby thrills last month.
Albion’s head of facilities and maintenance, David Baker, oversaw the planning and delivery.
The first meeting took place in May 2023, with many of the same staff who worked on the 2015 and 2022 tournaments. When organisers visited in November 2024, 70 Albion staff joined the planning session.
“With worldwide tournaments such as this it isn’t purely about the use of our venue,” said Baker.
“There is also a huge role for the city to play like hosting the fan zone in Victoria Gardens.” Brighton & Hove City Council estimated the two matches generated around £8 million for the local economy.
Turning a Premier League stadium into a rugby venue in just 12 days was one of the biggest logistical challenges.
The Amex had to be cleared of branding, lounges were repurposed for staff, and hundreds of East Stand seats were reconfigured to temporarily remove the Nike swoosh.
Head Grounds Person Phil Fifield began preparing the pitch in summer 2024 when holes for the rugby posts were installed. “Time was the main logistical challenge,” he said.
“We aimed to be ‘rugby ready’ two days before the first game ahead of the captains’ runs the following day. We also had over 50mm of rain thrown in for good measure!"
Phil’s team removed football markings, added rugby dimensions, and completed a minor pitch refurbishment. “The team worked 90 hours in the week leading up to the two games,” he said.
“The greatest asset that a club has is its staff and the success of delivering a world class event would not be possible without their skill, dedication and high performance mindset.”
More than 1,000 stewards and catering staff joined Albion’s core team over the two matchdays last month. Head of stewarding Lisa Murray said: “There was a noticeably higher proportion of families, particularly women and children which resulted in a more relaxed atmosphere.
Operationally, this allowed for a smoother stewarding experience."
Among the thousands of fans was Catherine, Princess of Wales, who came to support the Red Roses.
Catering partner Sodexo adapted its menu accordingly. “We curated a menu that was more appealing to families and moving away from the conventional football matchday food,” said Sodexo General Manager (Operations) Melvyn Funnell-Strange.
One challenge came when a bar ran out of beer. “Over the course of the weekend, we sold 55,569 pints of lager, cider, and bitter which far exceeded our expectations,” he added.
Reflecting on the weekend, Baker said: “The whole experience was fantastic to be involved in. To see how the years of planning come together and for us to deliver another phenomenal worldwide event at the Amex was an amazing experience."
The matches boosted city tourism, with 72% of fans staying at least one night in Brighton and Hove.
UK Sport’s Deputy Director Esther Britten said: “This tournament has not only set a new precedent for women’s sport in England but also raised the bar for what we can achieve together in hosting world class events."
Chief operating officer Paul Mullen added: “Through our superb facilities, highly professional, experienced and welcoming staff, we have established ourselves as a club and community that can deliver successfully for global sporting events.”
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