How much it really costs to police Southampton v Portsmouth in 26/27 revealed | OneFootball

The cost of policing the south coast derby next season will be around £500,000 across both fixtures.

The 2026/27 Championship season promises to be one of the most exciting in recent memory.

The second tier of English football is already known for its unpredictability, and that was proven once again in the previous campaign, as Leicester suffered back-to-back relegations, whilst Hull City won promotion against all odds.

So, with West Ham and Wolves dropping to the Championship for the first time in years, combined with Lincoln returning to this level for the first time since the 60s, there will no doubt be more drama in store.

Southampton and Portsmouth games cost £500,000 to police

Yet, another factor that will make the upcoming season a great watch is the number of rivalries in the division.

West Ham and Millwall will meet in what will be two feisty clashes, whilst Wolves and West Brom meet for the first time since their FA Cup clash was interrupted due to crowd trouble in 2024. Burnley, another relegated team, will play bitter rivals Blackburn too.

As well as that, Cardiff’s promotion means they can renew their rivalry with Swansea City, so there are four big derby games to be added to the calendar from the previous season.

The derby games don’t end there, either, as Southampton and Portsmouth will meet once more, in a fixture that is one of the fiercest in the country.

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And, further details have emerged about how the game is policed, as Police and Crime commissioner Donna Jones stated, as quoted by the Daily Echo, that the bill is around £500,000.

“Unfortunately, Southampton Football Club did not get promoted, so they are in the same league as Portsmouth. This means another £500,000 for two football matches – 180 minutes of football. These will be played at both grounds over the next year.

“The majority of the policing operation is leading into the city of Southampton. It is those routes in and out that are as at risk as being in and around the stadium itself. Southampton Football Club doesn’t have to pay for anything past the [Ted Bates] statue outside.

“.”

The report also adds that both clubs only contribute up to £32,000 of that cost when they are at home.

Southampton and Portsmouth rivalry will be intense this season

The two south coast derby games ended in draws last season, and, after the two had gone so long without playing each other, you could understand why they were tight, tense clashes.

So, now that they have got that out of the way, there will be a hope, for the neutral at least, that the games offer more in terms of goalmouth action.

Obviously, it will be great for whoever gets the bragging rights, with the first meeting at St. Mary’s Stadium in October, with the return at Fratton Park in February.

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Both games will produce great atmospheres, and it’s important that the fans don’t cross the line, and the cost of the policing is a reminder of just how much goes into making the game as safe as possible.

Southampton will expect to finish higher than Pompey based on the resources they have, but on derby day that does tend to go out the window.

Ultimately, there are many great Championship games on the horizon, and the south coast derby will add a lot to the league, even if it does come at a significant cost.