RFU threatens to leave Twickenham over concert row

England’s Rugby Football Union (RFU) has threatened to relocate from Twickenham to Birmingham or Milton Keynes in a row over the number of concerts the stadium is permitted to hold.

The 82,000-cap southwest London venue, now known as Allianz Stadium Twickenham for sponsorship reasons, is scheduled to undergo a revamp from 2027 costing up to £663 million (€793m), but is currently allowed to stage just three non-rugby events per year, restricted to 55,000 capacity.

Moreover, it is unable to host more than two events consecutively and only one of shows can take place on a Friday – restrictions that RFU chief Bill Sweeney says resulted in it missing out on the London leg of Beyoncé’s 2025 Cowboy Carter Tour to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which is welcoming the singer for six nights this June.

“Part of the renovation from 2027 means we are in discussions with Richmond Borough Council to stage more non-rugby events,” Sweeney told the Business of Sport podcast. “For us, it is three [events] and we are only allowed one on a Friday,” We have had the Rolling Stones. We could have had Beyoncé but she wanted three nights and we are only allowed two nights consecutively.”

The RFU, which owns the venue, says it is empty for 340 days a year and is appealing to the authority to increase the annual amount to 15 events at full capacity. According to the Guardian, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is permitted to host 30 non-football events a year, while Wembley can stage 32.

“There are plenty of places that would like to have us there. Birmingham, Milton Keynes would love to have us”

Along with the Stones, acts such as U2, Eminem, Depeche Mode and Metallica have all played the venue over the past decade.

At present, Twickenham has just one music show on sale for this summer – K-pop touring spectacular SMTown Live on 28 June. And Sweeney, who faces a vote of no-confidence at a special general meeting on 27 March, said upping its concert limit was vital in terms of making the renovation financially viable.

“We are saying, ‘If we are going to invest £600m into the Allianz – and we have a study which shows how much economic value it contributes to the borough… you are going to have to work with us in terms of an increase in the number of events we can stage in order to monetise the stadium,” he said. “There are plenty of places that would like to have us there. Birmingham, Milton Keynes would love to have us there.

“It would be a tough call for us. It would be very difficult. I don’t know how we would justify the investment in the stadium if we can’t get the increase in the event licences.”

IQ has approached the RFU for comment.

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