Women’s sport is forcing a stadium design rethink

When venues work for women, families and first-time attendees, they become more commercially resilient and socially valuable for everyone, writes HOK’s Kirsty Mitchell Kirsty Mitchell is an architect, sport and entertainment, at HOK As International Women’s Day 2026 approaches (Sunday, 8 March), attention will rightly focus on participation, pay gaps and representation in sport. But a more consequential shift is taking place in the physical spaces in which sport happens. The rise of women’s sport is exposing how outdated many UK stadiums have become. Attendances have surged by 239% in three years, yet most stadiums remain calibrated for a narrower, older demographic. In late 2025, the...