Aberdeen Football Club has been granted a licence to sell alcohol inside Pittodrie Stadium at a Scottish Premiership fixture on 14 December. The trial will allow home supporters to purchase alcoholic drinks in a restricted area of the Richard Donald Stand before kick-off.
Alcohol will be available in the lower concourse of the Richard Donald Stand prior to the match against Kilmarnock on 14 December. Sales will stop before the game begins and fans will not be permitted to consume drinks within view of the playing surface.
Aberdeen said the pilot has been approved by Aberdeen City Council and is intended to collect information about safe implementation. The club described the objective as: "gather insight into how a carefully managed approach to alcohol sales can support a positive and safe matchday experience for supporters".
The club also said: "Sales will be managed in full accordance with licensing laws, with appropriate security and stewarding in place.
"Supporters are reminded that alcohol may only be consumed within clearly designated areas and not in sight of the pitch, and all sales will take place in clearly defined, monitored areas of the stadium. Matchday operations, stewarding and safety planning will remain consistent with our usual high standards."
Aberdeen are the first team from Scotland's top division to be included in the scheme. Championship side St Johnstone will also run trials, with sales planned for their fixtures against Queen's Park on Saturday and Greenock Morton on 20 December.
At McDiarmid Park, both home and visiting supporters will be able to buy alcohol from a pop-up gazebo located at the rear of the East Stand. Sales there will operate between 14:00 and 14:45 before 15:00 kick-offs, and will also be available at half-time. As with the Pittodrie trial, consumption will be restricted to areas out of sight of the pitch.
Alcohol has been banned in Scottish football stadiums since 1981 -- a prohibition that has remained in place for more than four decades, though hospitality areas inside grounds have been exempt. Similar pilot events took place earlier in the season during Premier Sports Cup matches at Arbroath, Ayr United, Queen of the South and Stirling Albion.
A Scottish government spokesperson said: "Our position on alcohol sales at Scottish football grounds has not changed.
"It is for local licencing authorities and Police Scotland to satisfy themselves that the pilot projects are permissible within the current legislative framework when granting licences."
The pilots are intended to provide evidence on whether controlled alcohol sales can be incorporated into matchday operations while maintaining safety standards. Local licensing bodies and Police Scotland will review whether each trial complies with existing law as licences are issued.