315 St Mary’s Stadium

St Mary’s Stadium has been the home of Southampton Football Club since its opening in August 2001. The move from their previous ground, The Dell, marked a significant transition, providing a modern facility with a capacity of 32,689 seats. The stadium’s name reflects the club’s origins, as Southampton was initially formed by members of St Mary’s Church of England Young Men’s Association in 1885. The inaugural match at St Mary’s was a friendly against Spanish side Espanyol, which ended in a 4–3 defeat for the Saints.

Constructed at a cost of £32 million, St Mary’s Stadium features a bowl design with single-tiered stands encircling the pitch. The design allows for potential expansion, with the possibility of adding a second tier to increase capacity to 50,000, though this would require dismantling the existing roof. Notably, parts of the roof are transparent to ensure adequate lighting for the pitch. The stadium includes 42 executive boxes and four large hospitality suites, each named after a legendary player of the Saints. Since its opening, St Mary’s has not only served as a venue for Southampton’s home matches but has also hosted international fixtures and other significant events, cementing its place as a central hub for football in the South East of England.