Home Again: AFC Portchester ready for The OnSite Group Stadium return

AFC Portchester will return to The OnSite Group Stadium later this month for the first home match on its brand new 3G pitch.

The development represents a significant step forward for the club, providing AFC Portchester with a high-quality playing surface that will support football at the stadium throughout the years and create new opportunities for the wider community.

The £1.1 million project has been delivered through a collaborative funding package involving the Club and football funding bodies. In addition, Fareham Borough Council has supported the project with a £105,000 grant, funded through developer contributions designated for outdoor sports provision.

The Opening Match

The first AFC Portchester match scheduled to be played on the 3G pitch will see Bedfont Sports travel to The Onsite Group Stadium on October 24 in the Isthmian League South Central Division. Kick Off 3pm.

The fixture will mark a significant moment for the club and AFC Portchester hopes to welcome a strong crowd to be part of the occasion. The match itself will form part of a wider day of activity, with a range of entertainment planned before and after the game to celebrate the opening of the new pitch.

Supporters can keep up to date with the latest developments through AFC Portchester’s official website and social media channels. Here: https://afcportchester.co.uk/

A Significant Step Forward for the Club

The new pitch forms an important part of AFC Portchester’s continued development, providing greater opportunities for football to take place at the stadium throughout the weeks and across the years.

As well as hosting the club’s first-team fixtures, the new facility will be used across AFC Portchester’s teams, including its women’s, youth and academy teams, providing opportunities for both training and competitive fixtures.

The pitch is also intended to play an important role within the wider community, with plans including sessions for disability football and collaboration with local schools, helping to make The OnSite Group Stadium accessible to the broader community.

As one of Hampshire's largest community-focused football clubs, AFC Portchester supports 38 teams across youth, senior, women's and disability football. The club plays a central role in the local community, using football to encourage participation, inclusion, health, and wellbeing among people of all ages and abilities.

The new 3G pitch can be used in all seasons and weather conditions, providing a reliable all-year-round facility. It will support the Club's ambitions to expand disability football, walking football for over-50s, women's and girls' football, and other inclusive participation programmes. Through a Community Use Agreement, local schools, sports clubs and community groups are expected to benefit from more than 20 hours of community access each week.

The new facility will also be available to hire, opening up further opportunities for local clubs, teams and organisations to use the stadium. Further information on pitch hire, including availability and booking details, will be announced soon.

Paul Kelly AFC Portchester Chairman and Facilities Director said: “It is a massive project for AFC Portchester and something we have been working towards for a long time. It is really exciting for everyone at the club.”

“The new pitch will provide opportunities across the whole club and also allow us to bring the wider community into the stadium. A lot of work has gone on behind the scenes to get us to this point and we look forward to welcoming everyone to the stadium for the first game.”

It is a new chapter for the club, but most importantly, it is a place for everyone to come together and enjoy football.

The Club will be holding an open evening from 6.30pm to 8.30pm on 22 October, where local residents and current users of the facilities, together with their families, will have an opportunity to tour the site and see the new pitch first-hand and learn more about the benefits the facility will bring to the local community for years to come.

Councillor Frair Burgess, Executive Member for Leisure and Community at Fareham Borough Council, said: “The new 3G pitch at Wicor Recreation Ground represents a major investment in community sport. AFC Portchester plays an important role in promoting health, wellbeing and inclusion within the local community, and this new pitch will help the Club continue to grow and reach even more residents. I look forward to seeing the positive impact this facility will have in the years ahead.”

Paul Kelly, Chairman of AFC Portchester Football Club, added: “This investment is about far more than football. It is about creating a welcoming community hub that promotes health, inclusion and participation. We are incredibly grateful to all of the partners and funders who have helped make this ambitious project a reality."

Tickets for the match on October 24 are available at the website: https://afcportchester.co.uk/fixtures/first-team/.

To find out more about the project: https://afcportchester.co.uk/