The new Women’s Super League season is kicking off this weekend, but West Ham United are entering it with more than just football on their minds.
A heated battle has broken out between the club and their landlords at the London Stadium — and at the center of it all is where the women’s team should be allowed to play, and how much it should cost.
The Heart of the Dispute
West Ham say they are being asked to pay more than double the cost of hosting a men’s game just to bring their women’s team to the London Stadium.
The club hasn’t played a women’s match at the venue, which hosted the 2012 Olympics, since 2019.
Instead, West Ham Women have been staging home games at Victoria Road, the ground of Dagenham & Redbridge — a move that has frustrated both fans and the board.
That makes them the only Women’s Super League club from last season who didn’t play a single match at the same main stadium used by their men’s side.
The Contract Disagreement
West Ham point to the contract signed when they controversially moved into the stadium back in 2016.
That deal allows them to play up to 25 “competitive fixtures” there each season.
The sticking point is whether women’s league games count within that arrangement.
The London Stadium insists they don’t.
A spokesperson for the venue said the agreement covers only the men’s first team, meaning separate negotiations are required for women’s matches.
West Ham’s Side of the Story
The club has hit back strongly. A spokesperson for West Ham told Daily Mail Sport:
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Hosting a Women’s Super League match at the stadium is a “key priority.”
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They are not asking for special treatment or subsidies.
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They are willing to pay the same fee as a men’s first-team game — even though women’s matches typically cost less to stage.
But, according to the club, the stadium has refused this offer and instead demanded more than double the men’s rate.
The Stadium’s Defense
Officials at the London Stadium argue the opposite.
They insist they’ve made a “very good offer” to West Ham and stress that they cannot expect taxpayers to subsidize matches.
They also claim that the fee being offered by the club is significantly less than what outside organizations would pay to hire the ground.
“We cannot ask London’s taxpayers to cover West Ham’s costs,” a spokesperson said, while adding that the venue remains open to further talks.
Taking It to City Hall
The row has reached the political stage. West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady has reportedly raised the issue directly with London Mayor Sadiq Khan.
The club hopes his public backing for women’s football will help push a deal through.
A spokesperson for the Mayor, however, was blunt.
They said it would be “unrealistic and unfair” for taxpayers to give West Ham a competitive advantage.
Still, the Mayor’s office acknowledged that discussions remain ongoing and the stadium is willing to find a solution.
What It Means for Fans and the Game
For supporters, the situation is deeply frustrating.
West Ham Women have worked hard to compete in the top flight, but their inability to use the main stadium puts them at a disadvantage compared to rivals.
The issue also highlights a bigger conversation about equality in football — should women’s teams have the same access to their clubs’ biggest grounds, or are financial disputes going to keep them sidelined?
As the season begins, the football on the pitch might not be the only battle West Ham are fighting.