No bags allowed for WSL game??

[WashingAt30]

We've booked to take the DC to their first big football game, Chelsea vs Man U women at Stamford Bridge. Just realised you are not allowed to take in bags larger than A4?! We are have having a proper day trip travelling into London and can't really survive without a couple of backpack with water, snacks, plasters, lunch etc. What do we do? Is there anywhere we can leave our bags beforehand?

But the Chelsea website says "no glass or plastic bottles in excess of 500ml"
www.chelseafc.com/en/matchday-information-safety-and-security
So I presume you are allowed all types of bottle up to 500ml? Even though it doesn't specifically mention metal water bottles.

No water bottles. You'll have to buy drinks inside the stadium.

Can I just check, all those saying no water bottles, have you specifically been to Stamford Bridge?

You can usually take empty plastic water bottles to fill up inside, it’s often worth removing the tops and putting in a pocket. But it does vary between stadia and even the security personnel - DD and I (sometimes DH) have been to quite a few Women’s matches, once she was allowed to keep her bottle with a top on, but I wasn’t! Metal bottles are a definite no no.

We are actually going to the Champions league match at SB in Weds but staying overnight so we will only take in an empty water bottle, if that (not sure we will need water on a January night!). We will eat before the match.

Plasters etc can be in your coat pockets, as others have said, big coats are a boon at this time of year.

Enjoy the match and hope the blues win (hopefully you are not a United fan 🤣🤣), DD will be watching from the sofa!

DD has been before, I have asked her but she can’t remember, it was May 22.

But if they say not in excess of 500ml, you will be ok with plastic definitely, not sure about metal but I wouldn’t risk it.

From Chelsea website

What is wrong with just buying bottled water other things there? Why the need to complicate it all?

I read that as no glass bottles, and no plastic over 500 (from experience of other stadia).

In the past, we just bought plastic bottles of water at supermarkets, and now have a stash of them to refill and take.

I’ve been to Stamford Bridge for WSL games. I definitely wouldn’t take a metal water bottle. I think what’s on the website is open to interpretation but I personally wouldn’t risk it. I didn’t take a bag to SB but at Kingsmeadow, where Chelsea women usually play, they are pretty strict on this. I had a rucksack that was empty apart from a purse - literally nothing in it - and they made me put it in storage (which at Kingsmeadow is free so no big deal).

I wouldn't risk a metal bottle. It might not say that it's banned on the website but all you need is one security guard to decide differently and it will be gone. Any they don't tend to take kindly to you arguing with them and just won't let you in. I agree with everyone saying pack as light as you can. You can buy stuff inside the stadium and there a loads of shops nearby post-game.

I can't see how a 500ml glass bottle is different from a 500ml steel bottle in terms of use as a missile. But you're right that if we get a jobsworth at the gate I don't want to lose our nice bottles.

I'm annoyed as we use them literally every day and I haven't bought plastic water bottles in years! I was looking forward to what I've heard is the more family friendly atmosphere at women's games. But of course a few fucking idiot men have ruined it for everyone else by throwing bottles at their men's games. Sorry just an existential toxic masculinity rant!

But you almost certainly wouldn’t get away with a glass bottle either.

The SB wording you have linked to is open to interpretation, but from experience of a number of stadia, it is plastic bottles only, sometimes only empty ones.

I would be very surprised if you are allowed to take in metal water bottles at all. They could do quite some damage if used as a missile, far more so than equivalent sized plastic bottles 😬

@deeprealisation you can take a small bag into Old Trafford. I'm a season ticket holder there and do occasionally take a bag with me. They just search them before you go in.

"few fucking idiot men have ruined it for everyone else". Yep. Violent men who at best get too drunk and at worst, terrorists, ruin everything for everyone. Does my head in.

Wembley also have a strict bag policy but you can take a clear small bag and they were very good sorting out a pass for my DC's medication. I do genuinely appreciate that gigs are safer than they used to be but it wasn't women and families making them unsafe in the first place.

The wording is confusing. "No glass bottles or plastic bottles in excess of 500ml" actually means "No glass bottles" and "No plastic bottles in excess of 500ml". See here which lists it more clearly: https://luggage-storage.london/bag-policy-guides/stamford-bridge-bag-policy/

I wouldn't risk bringing metal water bottles as I don't think they'd be allowed.

It states “No glass bottles or plastic bottles in excess of 500ml”

I would interpret that as no glass bottles at all. And no plastics over 500ml. Metal flasks aren’t specifically mentioned so I would presume excluded.

They have a general enquiries line you can ring to confirm 0371 811 1955

These rules drive me nuts. I get the reason why but it's annoying that twats who throw bottles make life difficult for others.
For me it's not so much the time we're in London it's the long train journey home where we have no way to buy a drink. Often rushing to catch the train (infrequent) too so no time to buy at the station. I also really object to having to buy single use plastic bottles which is something we usually avoid.
Getting round London without a bag is doable if your journey is 20 minutes on the tube, not so much when it's nearly three hours each way. Also when travelling with kids and you can't bring book/drawing things etc and can only entertain with phones.

I went to watch a Women’s game recently and took my 8 month old. Same baggage restrictions applied. Called the club and asked for clarity and got told I could maybe “take a chance on the day with a larger bag”. No thanks.

its amazing what you can fit into a tiny space if you have to! I somehow managed to bring her in some food and nappy change stuff into the world smallest bag. Could only do that because we drove though.

Ah yes, I see on the Chelsea website they missed an Oxford Comma after "no glass bottles"! I can see it could be interpreted both ways.

It's not just about violent men ruining it for everyone (and times have changed, the behaviour at mens games is vastly improved now), they don't want big bulky bags stuffed with water bottles and other paraphernalia in case there has to be an evacuation, the rows of seats are narrow and you would want everyone out as fast as possible in an emergency. If you don't want to risk them being confiscated don't take them. I try to avoid single use water bottles too but it isn't always possible, sometimes you need to be a bit more flexible.

And yes I have been to Stamford Bridge (for men's games) but no idea how they enforce this rule as I just wouldn't attempt to take water bottles to any match.

The A4 bag thing is completely normal for large events, and is primarily to make sure that you buy food and drink on site rather than bringing your own. It is quite liberating tho - I can fit in keys, wallet, phone, small Kindle and hairbrush, which is all I need. It keeps the aisles free from large bags too, which makes it much easier to move around.
A venue with water fountains will usually let you take in an empty water bottle in addition, so do check that.

Yes, in most football grounds the concourses and aisles are packed with people pre-match, at half time and when leaving, at Stamford Bridge IME also outside the ground getting back to the station, big bags get in the way. And of course they want you to buy drinks in the stadium, they are a commercial venture.

I take my flask into football matches home and away (championship team) and the stewards are generally more interested in checking its coffee inside and not booze.

I hate carrying loads of stuff around though. Especially in London, so I'd go for disposable everything all the way on this occasion.