Brighton third after Etihad win, with Getafe and Brentford to come
Wednesday 4 November 2026 · By Olivia Bennett
Brighton are third in the Premier League after Saturday’s 1–0 win at Manchester City. Ayari scored in the 11th minute and Bart Verbruggen made seven saves.
“Belief is key to winning these types of games,” Fabian Hürzeler told the BBC after the win.
Hürzeler’s side have 19 points from nine games. That is two behind City, five behind leaders Arsenal and three ahead of fourth-placed Chelsea. They are the division’s top scorers with 24 goals, and only Arsenal have conceded fewer than their seven. Their goal difference of plus 17 is the best in the league. They have won five of their last six league games.
Brighton have a busy few days. They travel to Getafe in the Conference League on Thursday (20:00 GMT), then host Brentford in the Premier League on Sunday (14:00 GMT).
Falmer Stadium — officially the American Express Stadium, and still called the Amex by almost everyone — sits in a fold of the South Downs at Village Way, Falmer, BN1 9BL. Opened in 2011 after Brighton’s long exile from the Goldstone Ground, it holds just over 31,800. The pitch is 105 metres by 68 metres and is sunk into the hillside so the arched roofs read as part of the Downs rather than a tower block. For a visiting supporter it is one of the more comfortable Premier League grounds: padded seats, no pillars, steep stands and a clear view from the away end.
The four stands are simple to learn. The North Stand is the single-tier home end, closest to Falmer railway station, and is where Brighton’s loudest support gathers. The South Stand sits behind the opposite goal and is the usual home for away fans — typically blocks behind that goal, with an allocation of around three thousand for a Premier League fixture. The West Stand is the three-tier main stand: tunnel, dugouts, media and hospitality. The East Stand is two-tiered and includes the family area. Goals sit in front of the North and South stands, so from the away seats you look straight down the pitch toward the home end and the station.
Getting there is the part that needs planning. Falmer station is beside the north of the ground. Visiting supporters then walk around to the south — roughly 600 yards either way. Match tickets often include free local rail and bus travel in a defined window, but trains from Brighton are packed on the way out and the queue back at Falmer after full time can take the best part of an hour. Many away fans stay on the South Stand concourse (usually open for about an hour after the whistle) or use the North Stand bar, which has often been open to both sets of supporters while the platform clears. Lewes, one stop east, is a calmer place to park and drink beforehand; extra trains run on match days.
Do not rely on street parking. There is none worth the risk near the ground. Official car parks sell out and should be booked through the club. Coaches drop by the south side, which is convenient for the away turnstiles. Gates typically open two hours before kick-off. Entrances are numbered rather than labelled North or South, so use the number printed on your ticket. Bags larger than A4 may need the paid bag drop on the east side; travel light if you can.
Inside, the South Stand is single-tier and steep enough that even the back rows feel close. Sightlines are good; the far goal is the usual compromise of any end seat. Food and drink on the concourse are standard stadium fare, with local ales often available around the ground. The Terrace fan zone by the station end has, in practice, been welcoming to away colours even when originally billed as a home space — still read the fixture notes, because rules can tighten for bigger games. Accessible seating for visiting supporters is provided in the South Stand, including wheelchair bays on a raised platform; request this when tickets are issued.
Atmosphere at the Amex is driven from the North Stand and held in by the curved roof. Brighton crowds are generally civil; the usual advice applies on a night when the table is tight. From 2027–28 the club intends to move away fans into the south-west corner and turn more of the South Stand into a second home end, so treat current maps as current, not permanent. Check the club site and your own ticket for the latest gate, bag and allocation detail before you travel — then enjoy a modern ground in an unusual setting, with the Downs above the roofs and the train waiting, eventually, on the far side.