3 days ago
Ospreys to play entire season at Bridgend's Brewery Field before big move
Ospreys to play entire season at Bridgend's Brewery Field before big move
The Ospreys have agreed to finalise a lease to make St Helen's the club's new long-term home but will play in Bridgend this season
Morgan Morris of Ospreys celebrates scoring a try at the Brewery Field
(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)
The Ospreys have announced they will play all their home games at Bridgend's Brewery Field this season.
Work will be carried out at the Brewery Field including the installation of a new stand to provide additional seating. The Ospreys have agreed to finalise a lease to make St Helen's the club's new long-term home which comes a week after Swansea City Council granted planning permission to redevelop the historic ground.
Phase one of the redevelopment will include a roof over the terrace, a new and repositioned 3G pitch, refurbishment of the existing clubhouse, a new fan zone, and the installation of 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'.
Construction of phase one is set to begin following the conclusion of Swansea Cricket Club's 2025 season in September. The club had initially announced the plan was to start playing games at their new home by the end of the year but changes in the stadium plans mean they will delay the move.
This one-season relocation will allow all redevelopment work to be completed, ensuring St Helen's is ready in time for the 2026/27 season. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
Article continues below
To help oversee the development the Ospreys' commercial team will move to St Helen's this September.
'We are thrilled to have reached an agreement to finalise a lease for St Helen's and look forward to seeing the redevelopment begin," said Ospreys CEO Lance Bradley.
"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 Swansea RFC, 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.
'I'd like to personally thank Bridgend Ravens and Bridgend Council for being so accommodating in allowing us to play at Brewery Field this season. My thanks also go to the City and Council of Swansea for their continued backing in helping us bring our vision for St Helen's to life. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here.
'Finally, to our incredible supporters, thank you. You've stood by us through challenging times, and we can't wait to welcome you to Brewery Field this season, and to St Helen's in 2026.'
This news will come as a big boost to Ospreys fans considering a formal consultation process will begin shortly where the Welsh Rugby Union could cut the number of professional sides in Wales from four to three or even two.
"We've been working closely with the Ospreys and we fully understand and respect their decision," said Swansea Council leader Rob Stewart. Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free
"It means that they, as a business, can plan their 2025-26 season efficiently and professionally.
'We're glad that their long-term plan is to develop our historic St Helen's ground; we continue to work with them on that as indicated by yesterday's announcement of our agreement to finalise a lease.
'The plans for the ground development – including some conditions – remain unchanged.
Article continues below
'We're excited about the prospects that a new-look St Helen's and the retention of top-flight rugby in Swansea will mean to local people and businesses."
