Red or Blue
In Liverpool, the first question is often which side of Stanley Park you are on. The city has two famous Premier League clubs, a derby with a character all its own and a football culture that runs through families, pubs and streets. For singles who love the game, it is a great place to meet someone who understands why Saturday matters. Below: the clubs, the grounds, the derby and dating around all three.
The clubs in 2026-27
Both of the city's big clubs play in the Premier League this season.
Liverpool play at Anfield in the north of the city, beside Stanley Park.
Everton play at the Hill Dickinson Stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock on the Liverpool waterfront. The 2026-27 season is the club's second at the new ground after leaving Goodison Park, which had been their home since 1892. Everton opened their league season at home to Crystal Palace on 22 August.
Across Merseyside you will also find Tranmere Rovers at Prenton Park in Birkenhead and a lively non-league scene. Divisions change each summer, so the clubs' own fixture pages are the place to confirm where they play now.
The Merseyside derby
The Merseyside derby has long been called the friendly derby, because Red and Blue families live side by side and supporters of both clubs have often travelled to matches together. That does not mean it is not passionate. Derby day matters enormously in the city, and bragging rights last until the next one.
For couples, mixed Red and Blue relationships are a normal part of life on Merseyside. Many families have both. A few tips:
- Agree where you will watch the derby.
- Stay in your own colours' section of the ground; neutral clothing is wise elsewhere.
- Keep teasing light, especially around family.
- Give the losing side some space afterwards.
For more on mixed Red and Blue relationships, read dating a rival fan.
Getting to the grounds
Anfield has no station on its doorstep. Many fans take a bus from the city centre or walk from Sandhills or Kirkdale stations. Matchday shuttle buses have run from Sandhills in recent seasons; check current arrangements before travelling.
Hill Dickinson Stadium is on the waterfront north of the city centre. Many supporters walk along the docks from the centre, and Sandhills station is also within walking distance.
Check Merseytravel and the clubs' travel pages before you go, as arrangements, road closures and walking routes are updated for the new stadium. Agree a meeting point with your date before kick-off.
Date ideas in Liverpool
A walk around Stanley Park. Between Anfield and Goodison Park, it is part of the city's football story and lovely on a non-match day.
A stadium tour. Anfield offers tours and a museum, and Everton run tours of their new ground.
The waterfront. From the Pier Head and the Royal Albert Dock to Bramley-Moore Dock, the river makes a great setting for a walk before or after an Everton game.
The Baltic Triangle and Bold Street. Two lively areas for food and drink.
A non-league or lower-league match. Smaller grounds across Merseyside offer relaxed afternoons and easy conversation.
Crosby beach. A short train ride north, with the Antony Gormley statues on the sand, it is a good escape from the football.
Watching in a pub. Pubs near both grounds are packed on matchdays. For a date, choose a quieter one in town.
Plenty more suggestions sit in our date ideas for fans.
Football and family on Merseyside
Supporting a club in Liverpool is often handed down through generations, and many families have strong opinions. If you are dating someone from the other side, expect some teasing at the first family gathering. It usually passes once people see you are good for each other.
A short history lesson
Goodison Park and Anfield face each other across Stanley Park, less than a mile apart, and that closeness shaped the city's football culture for more than a century. Everton's move to the waterfront has changed the matchday map, but many families still walk the same streets to the match that their grandparents did. If your date talks about a club as a family heirloom, that is why.
Where to meet before a match
For Anfield, some supporters meet in town and travel up together; others gather in the pubs and cafés near the ground. For a first meeting, a quieter spot in the city centre or around Lark Lane makes conversation easier. For Everton's new stadium, the waterfront has bars and restaurants along the docks, from the Royal Albert Dock to the developments further north, and the Ropewalks area is a short walk from the river.
Away from the football, Liverpool has an excellent choice of first-date spots: the museums and galleries on the waterfront, live music venues, Sefton Park and the restaurants of Bold Street.
Getting home
Merseyrail serves Sandhills and Kirkdale, and services get busy after both clubs' games. Buses and taxis can be slow while roads around the grounds are closed. If you live on the Wirral or further afield, check your last train before you go, and settle travel plans with your date in advance.
Beyond the city
Merseyside's football community stretches over the water to the Wirral, out to St Helens and Southport and down to Widnes and Runcorn. Supporters of both big clubs live all over the region, so a date who lives a few miles away may still share your matchday.
Liverpool through the year
Derby weekends, European nights at Anfield and the opening months at the waterfront ground make the autumn busy. The quieter summer months, when the city fills with visitors and outdoor events, are an easy time to meet someone new, and pre-season friendlies make a relaxed first trip to a ground together.
Meeting football fans in Liverpool
Here, profiles open with your club, your matchday habits and your part of Merseyside, so it is clear from the start whether you are a Red, a Blue or happily neither. Away from the site, try branch socials, small-sided leagues, women's matches, helping out at a non-league club or a football quiz at a local pub.
Staying safe
Keep the first meeting in a lively public spot, let someone close to you know the plan and work out your route home beforehand. An online contact asking for money is a red flag, and tickets should only ever come from the clubs' own box offices. Our safety page covers the rest.
A note on clubs and names
Football Dating UK is independent of Liverpool, Everton, every other Merseyside club and every league. We mention clubs and stadiums simply to describe local football life.
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Women's football and grassroots on Merseyside
Both big clubs run women's teams, and their matches tend to be relaxed and easy to get tickets for, which suits an early date. Sunday league and small-sided football are everywhere across the region, from parks in the south of the city to pitches over the water in Birkenhead.
Every other city we cover, and those planned, is on the locations hub.
Matchday atmosphere
Anfield's famous Kop end and the new Everton stadium's steep stands are both loud places to watch football. For a first match together, consider seats away from the most vocal sections.