Why AFC Bournemouth's Development Squad Are Heading Back to Wimborne...

AFC Bournemouth have confirmed that their Premier League 2 home fixtures will be played at Wyatt Homes Stadium, the home of Wimborne Town for the 2026/27, a return to the venue which housed a number of fixtures in the Professional Development League. 

As revealed earlier this month, the move to Category One academy status means the development squad is entering a significantly different environment in 2026/27, and for the first time, Cherries will compete in Premier League 2, facing some of the biggest academy sides in the country, including Chelsea, Liverpool, Everton and Manchester United. 

With most matches being played on a Monday night, apart from the opening home match, which is against Chelsea on a Friday - the Wyatt Homes Stadium provides an excellent and tested venue which fulfils the criteria for hosting Premier League 2 football. Entry will be free of charge.

For Wimborne, there is also an obvious benefit. General manager for former Cherries goalkeeper Jimmy Glass acknowledged the commercial opportunity: "We have a fantastic stadium and it gives us the opportunity to not only showcase our facilities but also, as importantly, maximise our revenue potential which is crucial for clubs like us."

This is where certain supporters have raised understandable questions, but fixture scheduling seems to be a primary factor.

Earlier this month, AFC Bournemouth confirmed that the women's first team would play their home matches at Bob Lucas Stadium - around 38 miles from Bournemouth. Usually, matches in the Women's National League - Premier Division, are played on a Sunday afternoon at 2pm, and source suggests that Wimborne regularly use their pitch on a Sunday.

Other Magpies' sides regularly use the Wyatt Homes Stadium (often dubbed "New Cuthbury") for their games, including the women's team, who are scheduled to play in the Southern Region Women's Football League against Bursledon on September 13th, the same date the Cherries entertain Lewes.

The Premier League 2 however, will host most games in Monday evening slots, giving the New Cuthbury pitch over 48 hours to recover, should there be a Wimborne Town home fixture on the Saturday afternoon.

Some some Cherries fans, the frustration will not be about why the Under-21s are playing at Wimborne, but more about the contrast it creates. For instance, Bournemouth have found a relatively nearby venue for their men's development squad, while the women's first team - representing the club at senior level - will play considerably further away in Weymouth.

There are practical explanations for that. The women's move appears to be driven by the need for a stadium capable of supporting future progression, while the Under-21 arrangement is based around an existing relationship, Premier League 2 requirements and a fixture schedule that fits more comfortably around Wimborne Town's own use of the stadium.

Of course, it does not remove the supporter concern, as for fans, particularly those based in Bournemouth and the surrounding area, Wimborne feels like a natural extension of the club's local footprint, whereas Weymouth can feel significantly more detached from AFC Bournemouth's core support.

The irony, therefore, is clear: some of the country's biggest academy teams will be visiting a ground just a short journey from Bournemouth, while the club's women's first team will be playing their home matches nearly 40 miles away.

The decisions may make sense individually. Put alongside each other, however, it is easy to understand why Cherries supporters are asking why a solution closer to home could not also have been found for the women's team, but apparently, all avenues were exhausted.