The Rugby Football Union (RFU) explored the dramatic option of selling Twickenham Stadium and buying a 50 per cent stake in Wembley, according to documents seen by the BBC.
Watch the Guinness Six Nations at your local Greene King sports pub.
Idea Floated in 2023
Papers from the Twickenham Stadium Masterplan Programme (TSMP) show the proposal was discussed at board level in March 2023.
However, despite the scale of the idea, no formal approach was ever made to the Football Association over a potential move into Wembley.
Join the RUCK’s WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.
Focus Shifts to Twickenham Redevelopment
Instead of pursuing the Wembley option, the RFU has decided to focus on redeveloping Twickenham, which has been England’s home ground since 1909.
“Previous considerations looking at the viability of moving to alternative sites have been rejected,” the RFU said in a statement.
Tick it off your wishlist and drive an Isuzu D-Max away today.
Redevelopment Plan Highlights
The TSMP highlighted that the RFU was committed to the “stay” option, meaning it would explore improvements to Twickenham rather than selling the stadium. The alternative “leave” option, which involved the potential disposal of Twickenham and purchasing a stake in Wembley, was not pursued further.
Twickenham’s Past at Wembley
England’s rugby team has played at Wembley twice before: against Canada in 1992 and Wales in 1999.
Planned Twickenham Upgrades
Renovation plans under the TSMP include reducing Twickenham’s seating capacity from 82,000 to 80,000 to enhance spectator comfort. Other improvements will focus on repairing the roof and upgrading transport connections.
The work is expected to take place between the end of the 2027 Six Nations and the start of the 2028 tournament.
Costs and Timelines
The total cost of the redevelopment, as outlined in the TSMP, is estimated at £663m. However, the RFU clarified that the entire plan would not be carried out at once.
“The RFU board has not agreed any new redevelopment plans,” the RFU stated. “Work will be undertaken over the next 12 months to consider next-stage designs and assess what interventions might take place and when within the existing stadium footprint over the next 10 years.”
The Six Nations stadiums ranked from best atmosphere to worst
Some grounds crackle with passion from first whistle to last, while others struggle to lift. Here, we rank the Six Nations stadiums from worst to best based purely on atmosphere.
6 Aviva Stadium (Ireland)
Despite being one of the most modern venues in the Six Nations, the Aviva Stadium often struggles to generate a consistent atmosphere. Over the past decade, this issue has become increasingly noticeable, largely due to the growing number of corporate tickets. As a result, the once-passionate partisan edge has softened, with noise coming from isolated pockets rather than the stadium as a whole.
Iconic chants such as Fields of Athenry are now rarely sustained, and the all-seater design has removed the raw energy once provided by terraces. Ireland’s recent success, built on an efficient and pragmatic playing style, may also play a role — effective, but not always electrifying. Combined with a shift towards a more family-oriented crowd, the Aviva’s atmosphere often feels subdued compared to its Six Nations counterparts.
5 Stadio Olimpico (Italy)
Originally built for athletics and football, the Stadio Olimpico was never designed with rugby in mind. Since Italy’s inclusion in the Six Nations in 2000, however, it has served as the Azzurri’s home, offering a unique setting beneath Rome’s iconic skyline.
Italian fans are loyal and passionate, but frequent defeats mean they often have limited moments to fully unleash their support. This lack of sustained success keeps the atmosphere from reaching higher levels. That said, the backing is unquestionably partisan, and with signs of improvement in the Italian squad, the volume may well increase in the years to come.
