Bristol Bears to play a home match at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium next season in move that could anger loyal Welsh fans… as senior figures reveal they were not consulted before agreement was reached

Bristol Bears will play a slated home Gallagher Premiership fixture at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium next May in a move which has shocked Wales’ four regions and could well antagonise the country’s loyal fans.

Mail Sport revealed in July last year that the Ashton Gate outfit had been in advanced negotiations about taking a match over the border in a move designed to try and grow the team’s popularity. 

While plans for Bristol to do so in the season just finished did not materialise – partly due to anger in the Welsh game – they will now do so in the 2024-25 campaign.

Pat Lam’s side will play at Principality Stadium on May 10. Their opposition will be revealed on July 23 when the Premiership officially confirms its fixtures for the season to come.

Senior Welsh regional figures were contacted by Mail Sport about the Welsh Rugby Union hosting a Bristol fixture and it was made clear they were not consulted over it taking place.

Bristol Bears will play a home game at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium next season

It is good news for Bristol Bears as they will attract a far bigger crowd, but may anger some loyal Welsh fans

The matter was not discussed by Welsh rugby’s Professional Rugby Board which is made up of representatives from the four regions and the WRU.

‘I was not aware this fixture was going to take place prior to the announcement and I was surprised to hear about it,’ a regional source said. ‘It is not something we’ve discussed at PRB level. I am seeking further information from the WRU and PRB before commenting further.’

Bristol said: ‘By taking a home game to a 75,000-capacity international stadium, we will deliver a world-class event to help us reach new audiences and grow our commercial revenue.

‘Moving the fixture to Principality Stadium – and becoming the first Premiership club to host a game in Wales – aligns to Premiership Rugby’s “Big Game” strategy and follows in the footsteps of Harlequins and Saracens, who have staged commercially successful events at alternative stadiums. This fixture is a key component to becoming financially sustainable.’

Bristol say their Cardiff match will be marketed as a ‘Big Day Out.’

The Bears play their home games at the 27,000 capacity Ashton Gate, but hope to attract a far bigger crowd than that in the Welsh capital. The Principality Stadium can hold 74,500 spectators.

Harlequins and Saracens have become used to playing one-off Premiership matches at Twickenham and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium respectively and Bristol are now following suit.

While the idea to take matches to bigger stadiums must be applauded as English club rugby continues to battle financial problems, the fact Bristol will play on Welsh soil has already proved unpopular with those in the country.

Welsh rugby is struggling badly itself with its four domestic sides – Dragons, Cardiff, Ospreys and Scarlets – seeing their central funding from the WRU reduced.

The WRU, who own Principality Stadium, didn’t host their annual Judgement Day matches – where the four regions play each other – at the home of Welsh rugby last season due to a clash with a concert. 

The matches instead took place at Cardiff City Stadium, the home of Championship football side Cardiff City. There is a strongly held belief in many quarters that playing an English league game on Welsh soil risks Wales losing some of its already small domestic support to teams over the border like Bristol and others including Bath and Gloucester.

The WRU has admitted they have a monetary deficit of £29million over the next five years on regional budgets which is why they are desperate to bring in additional revenue.Under the stipulations of Welsh rugby’s Professional Rugby Agreement, commercial revenue made by the WRU is then handed out to the regions.

The WRU will receive a fee for hosting the match at their national team stadium

Pat Lam’s side will play in Cardiff in May, but they still need to learn who their opponents will be

The Cardiff game will be included in the season ticket price for Bristol fans. The WRU will receive a fee from Bristol for hosting the match.

But it remains unclear how the ticketing and food and drink revenue will be divided up between the two parties. Adult tickets for the match will range between £25 and £75.

Bristol Sport Group chief executive Gavin Marshall said: ‘We’re delighted to announce this game at Principality Stadium which is arguably one of the best rugby stadiums on the planet.

‘We are still posting significant losses and we need to find ways to drive new revenue streams. We believe this is one of the ways we can do it.

‘Harlequins and Saracens have shown there is an appetite for these games. We’re all striving to make Premiership Rugby the best league in the world.

‘We’re hoping Bristol Bears fans will get behind this fixture and travel in their droves. We’re also hoping the Welsh rugby fans will get behind it too.’