London City Lionesses have reportedly held talks with the city’s Mayor over playing at The National Sports Centre at Crystal Palace.
The Women’s Super League side currently shares their 6,000-capacity Hayes Lane stadium, the home of League One side Bromley.
3
Hosting matches at the National Sports Centre (NSC) stadium could more than double the capacity, as it seats around 15,500 spectators.
London City new stadium
According to the Athletic, London City Lionesses have held talks with the Mayor of London’s office over hosting matches at the NSC.
Conversations are said to be ongoing with Sadiq Khan’s office, but no agreement over football’s return to the park has been struck.
Should a deal be agreed, then London City stand to shatter their average gate record of 3,000 during their maiden WSL season.
The Bromley-based club, which was only formed in 2019 as a breakaway from Millwall Lionesses, have huge plans to expand.
The FA allowed London City to start in the second tier as a fully independent team, with no male counterpart after permitting the transfer of Millwall’s Championship license.
Billionaire Michele Kang, who also owns Washington Spirit and Olympique Lyonnais, completed a takeover in December 2023.
London City, who secured promotion in May 2025 before finishing sixth in the WSL last season, have made waves in the transfer market.
Ex-England goalkeeper Mary Earps arrived last month on a free transfer, with two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas also joining.
3
3
What happened to the NSC?
The National Sports Centre once hosted Olympic icon Usain Bolt and was the site of FA Cup finals.
However, it has been left in disrepair having been replaced as the home of athletics by the London Stadium in Stratford following the 2012 Olympic Games.
More positively, Mayor Khan unveiled images of potential refurbishments, which are estimated to cost £130million, last year.
The NSC was opened back in 1964 and played a major role in British sporting history for decades.
It hosted 20 men’s FA Cup finals between 1895 and 1914, as well as the first women’s FA Cup final in 1971 when Southampton beat Stewarton Thistle 4-1.
Croydon FC, of Division One of the Southern Counties East League (step 10 of the English pyramid), were the last team to play football at the venue during a brief COVID-enforced relocation in 2020.
