Saints Set for South Coast Showdowns: Key Dates as Championship Fixtures Drop
A new Championship campaign sees the long-awaited South Coast Derby return, a heated fixture that brings tension and atmosphere to the respective sides of Hampshire. Neither side has been in the same division for 13 years.
That last season, 2011/12, saw the derby’s last edition take place at Southampton’s home, St Mary’s Stadium. As games of this magnitude come, it didn’t disappoint; the Saints thought they’d won it in the 89th minute as Billy Sharp put the ball over the line before Portsmouth went up the other end and equalised just three minutes later.
Since then, the two rivals have met just once, in 2019, as Ralph Hassenhüttl’s Premier League side hit Pompey for four goals at their own Fratton Park. Ever since, Pompey fans have itched for redemption, while Southampton fans have yearned to pile on more misery.
The fixtures have now released, and the derby dates have been confirmed.
Key Dates for South Coast Derby 2025/26
Hampshire Police have set aside a figure of £125,000 to warden each of the fierce rivals’ two meetings in the 2025-26 season. According to Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones, this figure represents more than ten times the usual cost of policing Championship fixtures in Hampshire. The historic rivalry will no doubt bring crowd trouble, which will need to be carefully watched by Hampshire law enforcement.
Saturday 13th September – Southampton vs Portsmouth, St Mary’s Stadium.
Saturday 24th January – Portsmouth vs Southampton, Fratton Park.*
*Fixture could be changed another date
Head to Head
The two sides have met 71 times throughout history, with Southampton winning 35 and Portsmouth winning 21. The other 15 matches resulted in stalemates. In recent affairs, it has been extremely even, and with the nature of the Championship, results could go either way.
Southampton will be favourites in both games, but the prospect of going to a toxic Fratton Park is a tough proposition for Will Still‘s side. The return of this derby is exciting for all involved in football.
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