Yes. A Premier League club can share a stadium only if its own league matches take precedence over any other use of the ground, it can stop other pitch activity in the 48 hours before kick-off when there is a risk to the match, and the stadium is properly registered.
Conditions that must be in place
Here are the required conditions for sharing a stadium and for changing home ground.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Precedence | The club’s own league matches always come first |
| Power to postpone | Other pitch activity in the 48 hours before kick-off can be called off |
| Why | Where that activity risks the match being postponed or abandoned |
| Registration | The stadium must be registered with the board |
| Moving ground | Written consent of the board, permanent or temporary |
The agreement has to contain legally enforceable provisions.
What match priority means in practice
The club’s own league fixtures must take priority over the other party’s activities at the stadium. That rule applies to the use of the ground itself, so a shared venue cannot be run on terms that place another event ahead of a league match.
The club’s power in the 48 hours before kick-off
The agreement must also let the club postpone other activity scheduled for the pitch in the 48 hours before kick-off. That power applies when the club reasonably believes the activity creates a risk that the match will later be postponed or abandoned.
Registration and moving to another stadium
Each club has to register its stadium with the board and play all home matches in the listed competitions there. Registration ties the club’s home fixtures to that ground unless permission is given for a change.
A club cannot move to another stadium, whether permanently or temporarily, without written consent from the board first. When that decision is made, all the circumstances are weighed, including whether the move fits the objects of the league and whether it is appropriate in light of the relationship between the club and its locality.
FAQ
Can a Premier League club play at a different stadium?
Yes, but only with written consent from the board in advance. That applies to a permanent move and to a temporary switch as well.
What is checked when a club wants to move ground?
The decision goes beyond the stadium itself. The board considers all the circumstances, including whether the move matches the objects of the league and whether it suits the club’s relationship with its locality.
Does another event have to give way to a league match in a shared stadium?
Yes. The club’s own league matches must always have precedence, and the agreement also has to let the club call off other pitch activity close to kick-off if it puts the match at risk.
Does ground-sharing remove the need to register the stadium?
No. Registration is still required, and the club must play its home matches in the listed competitions at that registered stadium unless consent is granted for a move.