Ospreys choose St Helen's as new stadium home

Ospreys have announced their new stadium will be based at St Helen’s in Swansea, with the Welsh region hoping to move in time for the start of the 2025-26 season.

Ospreys say the move will involve a "multi-million pound investment" in St Helen's, which will include the installation of a 4G pitch and new stands.

The rugby side have opted for the Swansea venue rather than Bridgend's Brewery Field, which had also been in the running after they opted to leave their long-time Swansea.com Stadium home.

Ospreys said in a statement they feel "privileged to have the opportunity to make our home at the ground where Wales played their first ever international rugby match in 1882".

"The move to St Helen’s not only keeps us close to the majority of our supporter and sponsor bases, but also allows us to work with the City and County of Swansea Council to inject new life into the famous St Helen’s Sports Ground," the statement added.

"Our multi-million pound investment in the site will see the installation of a new 4G pitch, new stands, a refurbishment of the club house, and the introduction of a new fan zone area.

"The aim is to provide supporters with an unrivalled match day experience and develop new opportunities for non-matchday events and revenue."

Ospreys have largely ground-shared with football club Swansea City at the 21,000-capacity Swansea.com Stadium since 2005, with the team having formed in 2003 as the Neath-Swansea Ospreys.

But Ospreys chief executive Lance Bradley announced in January the region would be leaving for a smaller venue.

Ospreys hosted two matches at the Brewery Field during the 2023-24 campaign - a United Rugby Championship (URC) win against Cardiff on New Year's Day and the Challenge Cup victory over Sale in April.

They thanked Bridgend Ravens RFC and Bridgend County Borough Council for "their outstanding support" during what they called an "extensive search" for a new home.

But Bradley is excited by the prospect of a new era for the team in Swansea.

“Moving to a ground we can call our own home will be transformational for everyone involved with the club – including players, staff, supporters and sponsors," he said.

“Our investment demonstrates our confidence not only in the plans we have both on and off the pitch, but also our confidence in the future of Welsh rugby and the plans being developed by the Welsh Rugby Union.”

The current capacity at St Helen's is listed as 4,500, but a redevelopment of the historic ground could well see that number increase.

The record crowd at the venue topped 30,000 for a rugby league international between Wales and England in 1945, albeit in a very different stadium.

St Helen's is owned by Swansea Council. Council leader Rob Stewart hailed Ospreys' decision to set up a new home in Swansea as "really great news for the city".

"Swansea is a fantastic location for elite sport, with Swansea University a leader in the field of sports science," Stewart said.

"We have significant ambitions for a sports science park in Swansea and the Ospreys’ aim to commit their long-term future to Swansea aligns with this. We'll work hard with them and others to explore their vision over the coming weeks and months.

"There remains more work to do but we now have clarity to move forward with discussions."

Swansea RFC and Swansea University will continue to play at St Helen’s, with Ospreys saying their "ambition" is for the ground to host an increased number of community matches.

Swansea Cricket Club have also been part of discussions over the Ospreys' move.

Ospreys say an announcement about where Swansea CC will play in the future will follow in due course.

In May, Stewart said any plan would accommodate the relocation of Swansea CC, who have played at the venue since 1875, although Glamorgan have not played a fixture there since 2019.

The arrival of Ospreys could signal the end of cricket's 150-year association with the ground overlooking Swansea Bay.

In 2021, Glamorgan chief executive Hugh Morris warned that the surface, outfield and facilities would not meet required first-class cricket standards that were introduced in 2023.

In 1968, Sir Garfield Sobers famously hit six sixes in an over - which has since been described as the most famous in cricket history - while playing for Nottinghamshire against Glamorgan at St Helen's.