Southampton confirm decision that will affect every fan travelling to Portsmouth away | OneFootball

The south coast derby between Southampton and Portsmouth will be a bubble fixture, with the two clubs also agreeing on a reduced allocation.

Southampton have announced that the club have accepted a reduced allocation for their trip to Portsmouth, with all fans having to make the trip on an official club coach.

The south coast rivalry is regarded as one of the best in English football, and the two clubs met in the league for the first time in over a decade last season, with both games ending in draws.

Action Image

Even if they weren’t the best to watch for the neutral, the atmosphere at St. Mary’s Stadium and Fratton Park made them very eventful games.

Southampton confirm Portsmouth agreement ahead of south coast derby games

However, the games didn’t pass without incident, as there was disorder in January when the two teams met on Pompey’s home turf.

It appears that could’ve had an impact on the upcoming campaign, as Southampton confirmed that strict measures will be in place for both sets of away supporters for the derby games in an update on their official site.

“It has now been confirmed that away supporters attending these games will be required to travel on club-managed coaches, as was the case during the 2025/26 season.

“In addition, away supporters will be required to meet a set of eligibility criteria in order to purchase tickets. Full details of the criteria, along with ticket sale dates and purchasing information, will be confirmed ahead of tickets going on sale.

“The club will receive an allocation of 2,500 tickets for the fixture at Fratton Park, with the same allocation to be provided to Portsmouth supporters for the fixture at St Mary’s in October. This number has been agreed between both clubs and has been reduced from last season on safety grounds.”

Southampton and Portsmouth games bring a lot to the Championship

It’s always a shame when supporter restrictions are in place for derby games, as it will be inconvenient for many to travel on club coaches.

But, you can understand why the police and football clubs have come to that decision as their main priority will always be the safety of the fans.

As outlined by Saints, fans travelling on a club coach is nothing new, and whilst the allocation is reduced, by offering 2,500 tickets, it should still be enough to ensure the atmosphere isn’t impacted.

Action Image

Moving forward, though, the clubs should do all they can to back the fans, because the vast majority will behave properly, and games like the south coast derby add so much to the division on the whole.

With Wolves vs West Brom, Millwall vs West Ham, Blackburn vs Burnley and Cardiff vs Swansea, there are so many high-profile games to enjoy in the Championship this season, and it’s important to remember that the fans make these occasions what they are.

So, it’s always about getting the right balance, and hopefully they are all games that we remember this season for the atmosphere and what happens on the pitch.

For Pompey and Saints, after two draws last season, they will both be desperate to get the bragging rights on the day, no matter how the league looks at the time.

The first south coast derby will be played at St. Mary’s Stadium on October 11, with the return game at Fratton Park on February 28, and both kick-off at midday.