Goodison Park is set to become the permanent home of the Everton Women’s team — ending speculation over the future of the 132-year-old stadium.
The iconic ground looked destined for demolition after it was announced the men’s side were moving to their new 53,000-seater arena at Bramley-Moore Dock this summer.
Everton’s previous ownership group revealed plans for an £82m complex that would have seen the history-steeped turf make way for housing, a care home, retail units, and a park.
After a December takeover by private investment firm The Friedkin Group — led by American billionaire Dan Friedkin — the club hit the brakes on post-bulldozer renovation talks to explore the feasibility of Goodison Park as a base for the Everton Women’s team.
The Toffees have now confirmed that will be the play — ensuring the stadium remains a cornerstone of the city’s footballing DNA while making history in the process.
With a capacity of 39,572, Goodison Park will now be the largest dedicated women’s football stadium in the country.
Goodison Park: “A Magical Stadium”
Megan Finnigan, captain of the Everton Women’s team, said: “This move is a testament to where the women’s game is right now and, more importantly, where it is heading.
“Goodison is a magical stadium with a deep heritage and close ties to the local community.
“Leading the team out for that first home match of next season will be nothing short of a career highlight — and the prospect of what Everton Women can become with such an iconic ground to call our home is hugely exciting.”
The Everton Women’s team will make the switch when the men settle into their dockside digs for the start of the 2025/26 season.
They moved into their former ground, Walton Hall Park, in 2020. Just one mile down the road from Goodison, the stadium has a modest capacity of just 2,200 — with only 500 of those seats.
Walton Hall Park will continue to serve grassroots, community, and development programmes for women’s and girls’ football.
Meanwhile, selected academy matches will still be held at Goodison in between the Everton Women’s team’s matches.
Everton’s under-21s currently play their home fixtures 16 miles away at Haig Avenue in Southport, a 6,000-capacity stadium — but the club chose not to renew that agreement last week.
Angus Kinnear, CEO of Everton, said: “We know how treasured Goodison is, not only to every Evertonian, but to the game itself, and being able to keep such an iconic stadium at the heart of the legacy project is something that has been incredibly important to us.
“From next season, we are proud to say our women will have an unrivalled permanent home in the WSL – another statement of intent as we look to build the foundations that will help us challenge for trophies.
“The women’s game has grown significantly in recent years, and we believe that growth will continue and accelerate.
“We’re under no illusions; there are obstacles we need to overcome to make this a success both practically and economically, but we’re confident that we will overcome those challenges.
“The value of investing in the women’s game has been demonstrated by our ownership group at AS Roma, with impressive results on the pitch.
“We believe Everton Women can emulate that success and go even further, with one of the most revered grounds in the history of the game as their permanent home.”
Everton Women’s Team: A New Dawn
The Everton Women’s team were previously one of the strongest in the country — winning a league title in 1998, two domestic cups in the late 2010s, and reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League in 2011.
As was the club-wide theme during previous owner Farhad Moshiri’s tenure, results began to slip. They finished no higher than fifth while he occupied the boardroom, ending this season’s WSL campaign in 8th — one place below bitter rivals Liverpool.
With the best stadium in the league by some distance, they’ll now prove an attractive suitor to the finest talents in the women’s game.
However, that doesn’t come without its logistical obstacles. The average home attendance for the Everton Women’s team was 2,062 this season — some way short of Goodison’s bumper capacity.
The move should generate a natural spike in footfall, with improvements planned for changing room facilities and the exterior of Goodison to better reflect the Everton Women’s team’s history and current squad.
The Toffees will play their final men’s first-team match at Goodison Park against already relegated Southampton on Sunday, 18 May (12:00 BST).
It’ll mark an emotional farewell for them — though not the one many expected — and the start of an exciting new chapter for the Everton Women’s team.
