Gloucester to stage Slater Cup at Kingsholm after fan feedback and venue review
Gloucester Rugby have announced that their 2026/27 Slater Cup fixture against Leicester Tigers will be played at Kingsholm, returning the high-profile contest to the club’s home ground rather than staging it at Villa Park in Birmingham.
The Gallagher Premiership meeting is scheduled for the weekend of 27 March 2027. The club had initially listed the fixture as a potential Big Game away from Kingsholm in a bid to grow attendances and commercial opportunities, but a subsequent review has led to a reversal of that plan.
- Fixture: Gloucester v Leicester Tigers (Slater Cup)
- Competition: Gallagher Premiership
- Date: Weekend of 27 March 2027
- Venue: Kingsholm (moved back from proposed venue, Villa Park)
The club’s decision follows last season’s Big Game at Villa Park, where more than 24,000 supporters watched Leicester claim a 36-17 victory and retain the Slater Cup. Taking one of Gloucester’s limited home Premiership fixtures away from Kingsholm proved controversial among sections of the club’s traditional supporter base, and that reaction has been cited by the club as an important consideration.
"Supporter feedback was among the factors considered,"
Ongoing development work at Villa Park also contributed to the decision to return the fixture to Kingsholm, the club said. The move will restore one of Gloucester’s most significant home fixtures to the city and to the stadium long-associated with the club’s identity.
The Slater Cup is contested between Gloucester and Leicester in honour of former lock Ed Slater, who played for both clubs during his career. Slater was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in July 2022; the rivalry was subsequently renamed in his memory and as a vehicle to raise awareness and funds for families affected by MND.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Fixture | Gloucester v Leicester Tigers (Slater Cup) |
| Date | Weekend of 27 March 2027 |
| Venue | Kingsholm (returned from Villa Park) |
| Competition | Gallagher Premiership |
For many supporters, Kingsholm is not just a stadium but a civic meeting place where the club’s history, local traditions and matchday rituals are lived. Moving marquee fixtures to larger, neutral venues can bring commercial benefits and reach new audiences, but it often risks diluting the club’s local atmosphere and alienating long-standing matchgoers.
Last season’s Big Game at Villa Park was presented as an opportunity to increase attendance and attract new supporters beyond the city limits. That event succeeded in drawing a crowd in excess of 24,000, but the decision to relocate created tensions among sections of the Gloucester fanbase who value the home-ground advantage and the unique environment at Kingsholm.
The club’s announcement that the Slater Cup will be staged back in Gloucester is likely to be welcomed by those who argued that such fixtures belong in the city. It also reduces the logistical strain on supporters who travel from the city and surrounding towns: Kingsholm is more accessible for many local fans than a Birmingham venue, and the return of a high-profile Premiership fixture to the stadium will boost local matchday trade for businesses around the ground.
At the same time, the club will need to balance commercial ambitions with preserving the atmosphere that makes Gloucester matches distinctive. The prospect of staging future large-scale events at neutral venues is not ruled out by this single decision, but the outcome signals that supporter sentiment and practical considerations — including ongoing work at potential alternative venues — carry weight in fixture planning.
As Gloucester prepares to host Leicester at Kingsholm next March, the match will be watched closely by fans and local businesses alike. The Slater Cup’s significance, both as a sporting contest and as a tribute to Ed Slater and the fight against MND, ensures the fixture will remain one of the season’s focal points for the city.
