The Amex

Lore & Background

The plans were initiated by Brighton & Hove Albion after the club's previous home, the Goldstone Ground, was sold by the club's former board to developers in 1995 with no new home arranged. When the club was evicted at the end of the 1996–1997 season, it groundshared for two seasons at Gillingham's Priestfield Stadium. Two years later, the club returned to Brighton as tenants of Withdean Stadium. The site at Falmer was identified during the 1998–99 season.

Planning permission was given by Brighton and Hove City Council in June 2002. John Prescott approved the plans on 28 October 2005, but withdrew approval in April 2006. Hazel Blears re-affirmed the approval on 25 July 2007. Construction started on 17 December 2008 and finished in May 2011.

The stadium officially opened on 30 July 2011, hosting a friendly match against Tottenham Hotspur. The first competitive match was the Sussex Senior Cup final on 16 July 2011. The first league game was against Doncaster Rovers on 6 August 2011.

Reader's Guide

The stadium serves as the home of Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion. It was handed over from the developers to the club on 31 May 2011. The stadium was designed to allow hosting for other sports and events. It hosted some matches from the 2015 Rugby World Cup and the UEFA Women's Euro 2022. It also hosted some 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup fixtures. The stadium uses hawks to scare away seagulls and pigeons.

Did You Know?

• The first competitive game at the stadium was the 2010–11 season final of the Sussex Senior Cup between Brighton and Eastbourne Borough on 16 July 2011.
• The stadium hosted Premier League football for the first time in August 2017.
• Falmer Stadium hosted European football for the first time on 21 September 2023 when Brighton played against AEK in the UEFA Europa League.
• The stadium hosted two Pool B matches in the 2015 Rugby World Cup, including Japan's upset win over South Africa.