Premier League
First home match 29.08 vs Everton
Last season
6th place — record in the club's history
Stadium
Vitality — about 11,300, the smallest in the league
Europa League
For the first time ever
About the stadium
Dean Court, known today as Vitality Stadium, was built in 1910 and sits within Kings Park in the Boscombe area, at the eastern edge of the town of Bournemouth in Dorset. With about 11,300 seats it is the smallest stadium in the Premier League — less than half the capacity of an average Premier League stadium. Its attendance record was set as far back as 2 March 1957, when 28,799 spectators were packed in for a match against Manchester United. In July 2026 the club gave the go-ahead for the biggest expansion project in its history: the South Stand will be demolished and rebuilt with a capacity of about 6,800 seats, the stadium's four corners will be closed in, and total capacity will rise to 20,196 seats by summer 2027. To avoid disrupting the season, the new stand is being built behind the existing one. Two new corners adding about 800 to 900 seats are expected to be ready already for the season's first home match. Stadium address: Dean Court, Kings Park, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH7 7AF.
FAQ
How do you buy tickets for a Bournemouth match?
Tickets for Bournemouth matches at Vitality are the hardest to get in the Premier League — only about 11,300 seats. The reason is simple: supply. Vitality is the smallest stadium in the league, with only about 11,300 seats, and the club comes into this season after a historic sixth-place finish and with the first European league matches in its history. The gap between demand and supply is exactly why the club launched the expansion project — in its own statement, to allow more local fans to attend Premier League and European matches. The allocation for away fans stands at 1,500 seats in the East Stand, which can be raised to 2,000. TikTik secures tickets for Bournemouth matches even when the official channel is closed.
How do you get to Vitality Stadium?
You get to Vitality Stadium by train to Pokesdown station, about a fifteen-minute walk. This is the closest station to the stadium. Bournemouth's central train station is further, about three kilometers, which is a 25 to 30 minute walk, and anyone who doesn't want to walk can take a local bus toward the Boscombe area. From Bournemouth central station, bus line 1a also runs, connecting the town center to the stadium. Stadium address: Dean Court, Kings Park, Bournemouth, BH7 7AF.
Is there parking at Vitality Stadium?
Yes — Vitality Stadium has a car park on the South Stand side, and it fills up very quickly. Its entrance is off Kings Park Drive, opposite the bowling green, and it's used among others by away fans. It's worth arriving at least an hour and a quarter before kickoff to get a spot. The regular alternative is the multi-story car parks in central Bournemouth and then bus 1a to the stadium. Note that during the expansion works there may be changes to the parking arrangements around the ground.
How do you get from Israel to a Bournemouth match?
For a Bournemouth match you fly to London and take the train from London Waterloo, about an hour and 50 minutes. There is no direct flight from Tel Aviv to Bournemouth. The usual route is a flight to London and from there a direct train from London Waterloo station to Bournemouth station, run by South Western Railway — a distance of about 94 miles, a journey of about an hour and 50 minutes on the fast trains and around two hours on the regular ones. There are about two direct trains an hour and about 45 direct trains a day, so it's entirely possible to make the trip there and back in the same day and sleep in London. Bournemouth itself is a seaside resort town, and quite a few fans prefer to stay overnight there.
Does an Israeli need a visa to fly to the UK for the match?
Not a visa, but yes an entry authorization. Since 8 January 2025, Israeli citizens have been required to have a UK ETA. The cost is £20, it allows multiple entries and is valid for two years or until the passport expires - whichever comes first - and permits a stay of up to 6 months per visit. You apply on the official website or the UK ETA app. The response usually arrives within a day, but you should allow up to three working days, and you must not fly before the authorization has been received by email.
Where's the best place to sit at Vitality Stadium?
At Vitality Stadium there's no seat that's far away — all four stands sit right up against the pitch. A small stadium means that's a big part of its atmosphere. Away fans sit on one side of the East Stand, in an allocation of 1,500 seats that can be expanded to 2,000. Note the works: the South Stand is being replaced during the season — the new one is being built behind the existing one so matches can continue as normal — and two new corners between the North and East Stands open during the season, adding about 800 to 900 seats, including lifts and dedicated places for people with mobility disabilities.
What's special about Bournemouth?
Bournemouth rose from the fourth tier to sixth place in the Premier League within a little over a decade. This is modern English football's great rise-through-the-ranks story. The Cherries — the club's nickname — were playing in the fourth tier a little over a decade ago, and in 2025/26 finished sixth in the Premier League, their highest-ever finish, closing out a season that included an 18-match unbeaten run in the league. The manager who led the run, Andoni Iraola, left at its end for Liverpool, and in his place came 49-year-old German Marco Rose — who has previously coached Borussia Dortmund, Borussia Mönchengladbach and Leipzig. The owner is Bill Foley, through the Black Knight Football group. The traditional rival is Southampton, their south-coast neighbor.
What's Bournemouth's big match in the 2026/27 season?
Bournemouth's big match is their Europa League debut, the first in the club's history. Sixth place in 2025/26 qualified Bournemouth for the Europa League for the first time in the club's history — the league-phase draw is held on 28 August 2026 and the first round takes place on 16 and 17 September 2026. The first-ever European match at the smallest stadium in the Premier League is the most in-demand ticket of this season. In the league, Bournemouth opens away against Manchester City on 23 August 2026 at 14:00, and their first home match is on 29 August against Everton.
