Charlton Athletic to share The Valley with rugby club famous for QPR and Coventry City stadium stints

Wasps hope to share Charlton Athletic home ground The Valley starting next season should the rugby club be granted admission to the RFU Championship for the 2025/26 season.

The former professional team, which entered administration with debts of £95 million in October 2022, has previously shared pitches with football clubs including QPR, Coventry City and Wycombe Wanderers.

The Times reports that Wasps have eyed up The Valley as they look to re-establish themselves as a top flight rugby club based in Kent. The county is thought to provide an 'untapped' area in the sport which would allow Wasps to grow.

While The Valley is not in Kent, its proximity has caught the attention of Wasps with the report claiming that an agreement to use the 27,111-capacity stadium has already been secured - the club had seen a bid to build a 28,000-seat stadium near Sevenoaks opposed by 85 per cent of local people.

Wasps previously played at Coventry City's Rioch Arena before entering administration in October 2022. The rugby outfit became outright owners of that stadium in 2014.

Before ground sharing with Coventry City, Wasps played its matches at Adams Park, the home of Wycombe Wanderers from 2002 to 2014. Between 1996 and 2002, the team played at QPR home ground Loftus Road.

Both the Charlton Athletic men's and women's side already use The Valley for matches, with the latter having moved there permanently for the 2024/25 season having previously played the majority of their fixtures at The Oakwood in Crayford.

The Valley had a new 'state-of-the-art' pitch installed this summer ahead of the 2024/25 season with the club claiming 'greater durability' ahead of the women's team moving to the venue. That was a six-figure investment from the club along with a £750,000 grant from the Premier League Stadium Fund.

Charlton Managing Director James Rodwell said: “We’re delighted that our men’s and women’s first-teams will be playing on a new state-of-the-art pitch at The Valley for the 2024/25 season.

“Our vision for Charlton is for the club to become the most cohesive and sustainable community-driven club in the UK competing at an elite level. For us to reach that level, we need to continue to drive standards on and off the pitch. 

“This investment brings our playing surface at The Valley to that elite level. We’re grateful to the club ownership for supporting the vision financially and for the investment from the Premier League Stadium Fund.”