Advertisement League of Ireland Horse Racing TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Behind the Lines Sportswriters discuss their careers and the work that inspires them. Rugby Weekly Extra Dive into all the news and analysis 3 times a week The Football Family Weekly insights from the week’s big talking points Advertisement More Stories ©INPHOAndrew Fosker England could leave Twickenham for Milton Keynes or Birmingham, says RFU chief Bill Sweeney says there are “plenty of places that would like to have us”. 3.26pm, 19 Mar 2025 Share options ENGLAND MAY BE forced to relocate from Allianz Stadium to Milton Keynes or Birmingham because of licence restrictions over staging concerts, according to Rugby Football Union chief executive Bill Sweeney. The RFU views major events such as Beyonce concerts as a key revenue stream to help fund the planned £663million redevelopment of Twickenham, which is due to start in 2027. However, Richmond upon Thames Council imposes limitations on the number of non-sporting events that can be held at the 82,000-capacity ground, which is almost exclusively used for rugby purposes including hosting all home fixtures for the England men’s team. Advertisement The local authority will not currently permit more than three a year with a maximum crowd of 55,000 in attendance – prompting Sweeney to issue his threat to move the home of English rugby from the site it has occupied since 1909. “There are plenty of places that would like to have us. Birmingham and Milton Keynes would love to have us there,” Sweeney told the Business of Sport podcast. “Part of the renovation from 2027 means we are in discussions with Richmond borough council to stage more non-rugby events. For us, it is three and we are only allowed one on a Friday. “We have had the Rolling Stones. We could have had Beyonce but she wanted three nights and we are only allowed two nights consecutively. “We are saying that if we are going to invest £600million 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. “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.” The RFU revealed last year that it looked at moving to Wembley and a greenfield site in the Birmingham area before opting to remain at Twickenham and upgrade the existing stadium. Press Association Viewcomments Send Tip or Correction Embed this post To embed this post, copy the code below on your site Email “England could leave Twickenham for Milton Keynes or Birmingham, says RFU chief”. Recipient's Email Feedback on “England could leave Twickenham for Milton Keynes or Birmingham, says RFU chief”. Your Feedback Your Email (optional) Report a Comment Please select the reason for reporting this comment. Please give full details of the problem with the comment... This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy before taking part. Leave a Comment Submit a report Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines. Damaging the good reputation of someone, slander, or libel. Racism or Hate speech An attack on an individual or group based on religion, race, gender, or beliefs. Trolling or Off-topic An attempt to derail the discussion. Inappropriate language Profanity, obscenity, vulgarity, or slurs. Advertising, phishing, scamming, bots, or repetitive posts. Please provide additional information Thank you for the feedback Your feedback has been sent to our team for review. Leave a commentcancel Access to the comments facility has been disabled for this user View our policy ⚠️ Duplicate comment Post Comment have your say Or create a free account to join the discussion News in 60 seconds FreeGaelic Football Players from nine counties on Sigerson Cup Team of the Year FreeEuropa League Saddening and embarrassing – Rangers react to UEFA charges over ‘racist’ banner FreeWatch Out Hallgrimsson issues Bulgaria warning on eve of relegation play-off FreeGood to go 'Quite a stern coach' - Connacht's Ioane backs former boss to thrive with Munster Cuala and Kilkerrin-Clonberne earn most spots on club teams of the year FreePodcastThe 42 Rugby Weekly UNLOCKED FOR FREE | The best of our Six Nations Review pod Donald Trump does not intimidate me – Imane Khelif plots Olympic defence in LA Who are the fresh faces Ireland could look to for their summer tour? fall and rise 'I got released by Man United at 18 and 12 months later, I was playing Conference football' Staying Put Jack Conan and Ryan Baird sign new deals with Leinster France's Peato Mauvaka cited for foul play against Scotland more from us Investigates Daft.ie Property Magazine Allianz Home Magazine The 42 Sports Magazine Money Diaries The Journal TV Journal Media Advertise With Us About FactCheck Our Network FactCheck Knowledge Bank Terms & Legal Notices Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition more from us TV Listings GAA Fixtures Journal Media Advertise With Us Our Network The Journal FactCheck Knowledge Bank Terms & Legal Notices Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition © 2025 Journal Media Ltd Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition Switch to Desktop Switch to Mobile The 42 supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and the Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at https://www.presscouncil.ie, PH: (01) 6489130, Lo-Call 1800 208 080 or email: mailto:info@presscouncil.ie Report an error, omission or problem: Your Email (optional) Create Email Alert Create an email alert based on the current article Email Address One email every morning As soon as new articles come online Sign in or create a free account To continue reading create a free account Or sign into an existing account