Belle Vue Announcement

Today, we announced our move to Belle Vue, a milestone for Wakefield AFC. It is a moment all involved with Wakefield AFC should be proud of. It’s the start of a new phase where we focus on what the club can be and where we will certainly welcome new fans and deepen our roots within the community.

Given where we started, it is a move that was unimaginable when we took over the club 14 months ago. It couldn’t have happened without the collective effort of our players, staff, and the fantastic support from our fans.

Having said that, some context behind this decision is important. During the process of rebuilding the club, every decision we’ve been making always considers three factors: fan experience, sporting performance, and club sustainability. It was no different when deciding to move to Belle Vue. So let’s go over each of those:

Fan Experience

Fans coming to our games will watch games in a facility that, after renovations are complete, will be of a standard only available many leagues above where we currently play. Fans will find a state-of-the-art stand, new parking, retail, and food options. In addition, our supporters will have access to better transportation, with more options, as we move closer to the main transportation hubs in the center of Wakefield.

We want to welcome our fans and supporters from other teams in a comfortable and friendly environment, with the quality and all the amenities that are usually only available at much higher ticket prices.

Sporting Performance

Belle Vue will have a hybrid pitch, the same technology many premier league clubs use in their training facilities. It means better playing conditions, fewer cancellations, and fewer injuries to our players. Additionally, our teams will train in the stadium during the week and will have access to two full new gyms, a cafeteria, and new changing rooms. It is unmatched at this level of football and will let us provide players that come to Wakefield AFC with the best possible experience.

Club Sustainability

We’ve said from day one our goal is to build a self-sustainable football club. The opportunity to grow in the City of Wakefield and this agreement is a step in the right direction as it will provide new commercial opportunities and, with bigger crowds, additional matchday revenues.

There are also a few exciting ideas we will be working on with Trinity, which over time, will benefit both fan bases and the Wakefield community as a whole.

Rest assured, we still want to invest in our training facility to be able to offer junior programs and other community initiatives. Our own facilities will also allow us to balance the books better and invest in other club areas. We are engaged with the Wakefield Council and hope to deliver something to our fans soon.

Finally, we hope you are as thrilled as we are with the news, and we can’t wait to see you all at our new home. Until then, we remain focused on our season. The girls are still in the hunt for a top-two finish, and the boys are challenging for a playoff spot. Although we feel good about where we are, we need to keep improving to challenge for promotion, so the work won’t stop.

Enjoy the news and we look forward to seeing you all soon.