Hayes Lane Stadium – London City Lionesses

When it comes to women’s football and the stadiums that the various teams play in, there is a mixed bag on offer. When Everton left Goodison Park for the Hill Dickinson Stadium, for example, it was decided that it would be better for Everton Ladies to play there than to sell it to developers, meaning that the Everton team plays their home matches in what used to be a Premier League stadium.

Although some of the big men’s clubs allow the women to play big matches in their grounds on occasion, most of the time they do so at their own specialist ground. In the case of Hayes Lane Stadium, it is a home that the London City Lionesses share.

History of the Ground

It was in 1938 that Bromley Football Club moved from their previous ground to Hayes Lane, even though they were on the same road. Initially offering a stand on the side of the pitch that had enough room for 2,500 people, with the rest of the pitch surrounded by banking, it developed over the years that followed. Having been officially opened by Stanley Rous on the third of September 1938 with a 6-1 loss to Walthamstow Avenue, the attendance record was set a decade later when 10,798 people turned up to see Bromley play in a friendly game against a Nigeria XI. It was in 1960 that floodlights were installed, switched on on the 27th of September.

That came ahead of a friendly game between Japan and an Isthmian League XI. The banking that had made up most of the outskirts of the pitch was replaced by concrete terracing, whilst the two ends had stands that were covered. The original stand burned down in the October of 1992, being replaced by a significantly smaller stand that had room for just 320 seats, opening in 1993. After the club gained promotion to the National League, more seating had to be added in order to meet regulations, so seating was obtained from the London Aquatics Centre in the wake of the Summer Olympic Games held in London in 2012.

In the April of 2017, the club confirmed that the construction of a 1,450-seat stand at the south end of the stadium would be built, whilst the playing surface would be converted from turf to 3G. It was the 20th of July 2019 when the stand was officially opened, having been named in honour of the Bromley FC’s former Chairman, Glyn Beverly. When Bromley gained promotion to League Two in 2024, the league’s regulations meant that the playing surface had to be turned back to grass. From 2014 until 2023, Crystal Palace Women played their home games at the stadium, whilst the Cray Wanderers played there from 1998 until 2024.

London City Lionesses Move In

It was in 2024 that the London City Lionesses confirmed their move to Hayes Lane Stadium, coming on the back of the redevelopment that had been carried out there over the previous few years. It matched with the installation of a hybrid-stitched pitch that was considered to be world-class, which was necessary for both the English Football League and the Women’s Championship.

It meant an end to the five-year spell that the Lionesses had enjoyed at the home of Dartford Football Club, Princes Park, but the hope was that the move would see the fan experience improve immeasurably, which would allow the team to grow its supporter base.

The hope was also that the move would see the players able to enjoy better facilities on a match day. Michele Kang, the Lionesses owner, said, “I am committed to providing the best playing and training environments for London City, and am delighted to announce a new stadium-sharing agreement with Men’s EFL League Two side Bromley FC,  which will see us play all of our home games this season at Hayes Lane.

This will give London City a rightful home in London, in the London Borough of Bromley.” Matching that with the purchase of a new training ground spoke of the London City Lionesses heading in the right direction.

The Layout

In spite of the agreement in place between the London City Lionesses and Bromley FC regarding the use of the ground by the former, it is the latter who remain the owners of the stadium. As a result, changes and alterations to the ground are made in accordance with their needs. After gaining promotion to League Two in 2024, for example, Bromley had to make some changes to the away section to meet the English Football League’s regulations. Visiting supporters were therefore relocated from the East Stand to a corner section of the North-East Stand. That stand was redeveloped, reopening in the October of 2025.

The Main Stand is officially known as the John Fiorini Stand and has enough room for 285 people, all of whom are seated and covered. It was opened in 1993 and is where the media facilities and the Director’s Box are located. Although the club submitted plans to redevelop the stand in 2020, no move has been made to actually change anything yet. The South Western Terrace is on the same side as the Main Stand and has enough standing room for about 250 spectators. The North Terrace dates back to approximately 1960 and has room for 240 seated supporters and around 1,000 standing.

Part of the ground’s redevelopment saw the Glyn Beverley Stand built in 2019 as a replacement for the South Stand. That had offered a mix of seating and standing, but the new stand has room for 1,450 people to be seated. It is where the family area is located, as well as where wheelchair users are accommodated. The East Stand was completely rebuilt in 2025, costing £2.8 million and replacing what had previously been an old concrete terrace. Now, it is covered by a roof and helped the ground’s capacity move from 5,000 to 6,100. There is a modern concourse where food and drink can be bought and toilets can be accessed.