PREM Rugby stadiums: A quick guide to English rugby’s top-flight venues

PREM Rugby stadiums are a real mixed bag. The journey from Exeter Chiefs’ Sandy Park in the south-west to Newcastle Red Bulls’ Kingston Park in the north-east includes everything from classic venues first used in the Victorian era to modern, purpose-built arenas.

therefore, while Bath Rugby announce plans to begin the long-awaited renovation of their home at the Recreation Ground at the end of the 2026-27 season, we’ll look at the 10 grounds that Gallagher PREM teams call home. You’ll find details about their facilities and history, as well as a few interesting pub quizzes.

• There is a huge selection of stadium types at Gallagher PREM. Some facilities date back to the late 1800s, but others opened their turnstiles for the first time in the 21st century.
• Many of the more traditional grounds are located in city centers, but modern facilities are more often located on the outskirts.
• The largest PREM rugby stadium is Bristol Bears’ Ashton Gate; the smallest is Kingston Park of Newcastle Red Bulls.

Everything you need to know about the 10 Gallagher PREM Rugby Stadiums

The Rec (bathroom rugby)

• Capacity: 14,500
• Address: Recreation Ground, Spring Gardens, Bath, BA2 4DS

(Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Few rugby grounds have such an impressive backdrop as the Rec’s, overlooking Bath Abbey and the surrounding countryside. However, the stadium itself is not so picturesque.

As the town’s recreational pitch is designated for public use, the rugby club rents the pitch throughout the season and some of the stands are temporary.

But after decades of negotiations with local authorities, it looks like construction a new stadium with a capacity of 18,000 people at the same location (the club’s home since 1894) finally resumed the following year. The new-look East Stand (with a real roof) can’t come soon enough for the often drenched Blue, Black and White fans.

Ashton Gate (Bristol Bears)

• Capacity: 27,000
• Address: Ashton Gate Stadium, Ashton Road, Bristol, BS3 2EJ

(Bob Bradford – CameraSport via Getty Images)

(Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

From 1921 to 2014, Bristol’s premier rugby club played at the Memorial Ground on the other side of town.

It is now the home of League Two football team Bristol Rovers, while the Bears now share Ashton Gate with Championship side Bristol City, also owned by local billionaire Steve Lansdown.

Extensively renovated in the 21st century (the Lansdowne High Stand is so large it seems to have its own weather system), ‘The Gate’ is currently the largest pitch in the Gallagher PREM. It also hosted both semi-finals at Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025and is one of the largest concert halls in the Southwest.

Sandy Park (Exeter Chiefs)

• Capacity: 15,600
• Address: Sandy Park Stadium, Sandy Park Way, Exeter, EX2 7NN

(Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

(Bob Bradford – CameraSport via Getty Images)

When the club left their old County Ground home in 2006, few could have predicted the glory years that awaited fans when they arrived at Sandy Park.

Exeter were not yet in the Premiership when they moved to this new, purpose-built stadium off the M5 – Sandy Park had a capacity of just 5,000 at the time, but has since expanded to hold 15,600 fans as the Chiefs became champions of England and Europe.

The pitch’s exposed out-of-town location has certainly played into the team’s hands, thanks to swirling winds that can ensure the visiting players have a challenging time in front of the posts.

Kingsholm (Gloucester Rugby)

• Capacity: 16,115
• Address: Kingsholm Stadium, Kingsholm Road, Gloucester, GL1 3AX

(Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

(Bob Bradford – CameraSport via Getty Images)

Tired of football fans telling you that their stadiums have the best atmosphere? Kingsholm offers the perfect return, with comprehensive shed terrace considered one of the best places to watch rugby in the world.

Of course, it helps that – like Bath – there is no rugby league football club, making Gloucester the quintessential ‘real rugby town’.

There is also a bit of history, given that the Cherry-and-Whites have played at ‘Holm since 1891, when the club bought the land from the Castle Grim Estate for the princely sum of £4,000. The ground is sometimes rebranded as “Queensholm” for Gloucester-Hartpury matches.

Twickenham Stoop (Harlequins)

• Capacity: 14,800
• Address: Twickenham Stoop Stadium, Langhorn Drive, Twickenham, TW2 7SX

(Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

(Bob Bradford – CameraSport via Getty Images)

It’s only the second most famous rugby ground in the TW2 postcode (Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, is just down the road), but the Stoop remains one of the most famous grounds in English rugby.

For most of the early 20th century, the national stadium was Queen’s base, but they moved to their current venue in 1963 – named after club legend Adrian Stoop, the England international who represented the club over 180 times and was its chairman for nearly three decades.

The Stoop hosted the 2010 Women’s Rugby World Cup final in which New Zealand beat hosts England.

Mattioli Woods Welford Road (Leicester Tigers)

• Capacity: 25,849
• Address: Mattioli Woods Welford Road, Aylestone Road, Leicester, LE2 7TR

(David Rogers/Getty Images)

(Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Until Leicester City’s unexpected Premier League title hero in 2016, the perennially successful Tigers were arguably the bigger fish in the East Midlands sporting ecosystem.

At Welford Road, their “fortress” since 1892, they have a ground to match that status. It is the largest purpose-built rugby stadium in PREM, whose expansion from around 17,500 to the current capacity was completed in 2015.

With support like that, it’s easy to see why the club were a little miffed when competition organizers attacked Leicester City’s King Power Stadium – off Welford Road – as the venue for the 2015 Men’s Rugby World Cup.

Kingston Park (Newcastle Red Bulls)

• Capacity: 10,210
• Address: Kingston Park Stadium, Brunton Road, Kenton Bank Foot, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE13 8AF

(Paul Jackson/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

(Michael Driver/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The club moved to their home at Kingston Park in 1990, when they were still known as Newcastle Gosforth.

The ground, on the outskirts of the city, has seen a few ups and downs on the pitch, although that is where they are Jonny Wilkinson and Drought forecast he helped turn the club into a northern powerhouse in the 1990s under Newcastle United benefactor Sir John Hall.

Over the years, the Falcons/Red Bulls have shared the field with the under-21 football team and rugby league team Newcastle Thunder.

cinch stadium at Franklin’s Gardens (Northampton Saints)

• Capacity: 15,249
• Address: Franklin’s Gardens, Weedon Road, Northampton, NN5 5BG

(Tony Marshall/Getty Images)

(Harry Murphy/Getty Images)

Another of PREM’s classic rugby venues, Franklin Gardens has been home to the reigning champions since the late 1880s, when a certain John Campbell Franklin bought and developed the Melbourne Gardens site – at the time the area was described as “Northampton’s Champs Elysees”.

The stadium underwent a major redevelopment in the early 21st century, with the current surface completed in 2015. Franklin’s Gardens is the only premier rugby ground in England with its own cenotaph, and is also home to the Loughborough Lightning PWR team.

CorpAcq Stadium (Sale Sharks)

• Capacity: 11,500
• Address: 1 Stadium Way, Barton-upon-Irwell, Salford, M30 7EY

(Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

(Ed Sykes/Getty Images)

Known as Salford City Stadium and AJ Bell Stadium before the current sponsor took over at the start of the 2025-26 season, this purpose-built facility in Salford opened its turnstiles in 2012.

Sale Sharks have played there ever since, sharing a ground with Betfred Championship rugby league side Salford RLFC, and several other sports – Manchester United Under-21s spent a season there and it hosted American football. It was also the venue for four pool matches at the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup.

StoneX Stadium (Saracens)

• Capacity: 10,500
• Address: StoneX Stadium, Greenlands Lane, London NW4 1RL

(Peter Nicholls/Getty Images)

(Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

With one of the smallest homes in PREM, Saracens are proof that success does not have to be proportional to the capacity of your stadium.

The multiple English and European champions moved into their Barnet Copthall home in 2013, after terminating their part-time deal with Watford FC.

Saracens have since extensively developed the existing facilities (the complex even has its own running track) to make it feel like home, although it doesn’t help that – despite its London address – StoneX’s location looks a lot like the middle of nowhere.