The rugby union team Ospreys have confirmed that they have agreed to finalize a lease to make the St Helen’s Rugby and Cricket Ground the club’s new long-term home.
‘OSPREYS’ stated that the above announcement follows the recent news that the Swansea Council’s Planning Committee unanimously approved the redevelopment plans.
The Ospreys, formerly the Neath–Swansea Ospreys, is one of the four professional rugby union teams from Wales (UK). They compete in the United Rugby Championship.
Dublin (Ireland)-based the United Rugby Championship is an annual rugby union competition involving professional teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa, and Wales.
The 21,088-capacity Swansea.com Stadium is an all-seated multiuse sports stadium and conferencing venue located in the Landore area of Swansea, Wales (UK) hosting both rugby union fixtures and football. The stadium opened in 2005 and was named the Liberty Stadium.
The 4,500-capacity St Helen’s Rugby and Cricket Ground, commonly known as the St Helen’s Ground, is a sports venue in Swansea, Wales (UK) owned and operated by the City and County of Swansea Council. It is used mainly for rugby and cricket.
‘OSPREYS’ further stated that the above marks a pivotal milestone in the Ospreys’ move to St Helen’s, a ground steeped in heritage and history. The Phase One of the redevelopment will include a roof over the terrace, a new and repositioned 3G pitch, the refurbishment of the existing clubhouse, a new fan zone, and the installation of the new stands.
Among these new stands is a proposed permanent South Stand which will feature three hospitality suites, state-of-the-art facilities and what will undoubtedly be the ‘best seat in the house’. The Phase One Construction is set to begin following the conclusion of the Swansea Cricket Club’s 2025 season in September.
The Ospreys intention is and always has been to deliver an outstanding experience for the fans, the partners, the players, and the community once St Helen’s is brought back to life.
Having reviewed the timelines, including those for the proposed new South Stand, the Ospreys have decided that their intentions are best achieved by planning to have everything ready in time for the start of the 2026-2027 seasons.
The Ospreys have therefore arrived at a decision to play the 2025-2026 seasons at the 8,000-capacity Dunraven Brewery Field in Bridgend, Wales (UK). This one-season relocation will allow all the redevelopment work to be completed ensuring the club and the supporters return to a fully finished St Helen’s in time for the 2026-2027 seasons.
To help oversee the development the Ospreys commercial team will be moving to St Helen’s this September.
Work will be carried out at the Dunraven Brewery Field to improve the experience for all the supporters including the installation of a new stand to provide additional seating and improved provision for the disabled supporters.
Commented Lance Bradley, Ospreys head honcho, “We are thrilled to have reached an agreement to finalize a lease for St Helen’s and look forward to seeing the redevelopment begin. This marks another important milestone as we work to transform the iconic stadium into a modern sports facility, one that will serve not only the Ospreys but also the Swansea RFC, the Swansea University and the wider community. While we had hoped to have St Helen’s ready for this season the proposed plans for a permanent South Stand, which came later in our planning process, meant that the timing was not feasible. It’s because we want to provide the best possible experience from Day One that we have decided to play one season at the Brewery Field in Bridgend while we get St Helen’s to the standards that Ospreys and our fans expect.”
Remarked Rob Stewart, Swansea Council Leader, “We’ve been working closely with the Ospreys and we fully understand and respect their decision. It means that they, as a business, can plan their 2025-2026 seasons efficiently and professionally. We’re glad that their long-term plan is to develop our historic St Helen’s ground and we continue to work with them on that as indicated by the announcement of our agreement to finalize a lease. The plans for the ground development – including some conditions – remain unchanged. We’re excited about the prospects what a new-look St Helen’s and the retention of top-flight rugby in Swansea will mean to the local people and the businesses.”
Continue to follow Coliseum for latest updates on venues business news. Coliseum is dedicated towards building the best global community of sports and entertainment venue executives and professionals creating better and more profitable venues.
Become a member of the only Global Sports Venue Alliance and connect with stadiums, arenas and experts from around the world. Apply for membership at coliseum-online.com/alliance and make use of the 365Coliseum Business.