From Kingsholm’s Shed to a Vegan Football Club
At a Glance
| Sport | Season | Typical Matchday | Booking |
| Football | August to May | Saturday 3pm kick-off (some Tuesday evenings) | Pay on the day at most non-league grounds; advance booking cheaper and recommended for Forest Green Rovers, Oxford United, Swindon Town, Cheltenham Town |
| Rugby Union | September to May (Premiership); shorter season for community clubs | Saturday 3pm kick-off, occasional Friday evenings | Advance booking recommended for Gloucester Rugby and Bath Rugby; pay on the gate at community clubs |
| Hockey | September/October to March | Saturday afternoons, mixed morning/afternoon slots | Free or small donation at the gate at almost every club — no booking needed |
| Lacrosse | September to March | Saturday or Sunday afternoons | Free at the gate; genuinely niche, so check a club’s own fixtures page first |
Quick Reference
Here is our selection of the clubs across football, rugby, hockey and lacrosse — in the Cotswolds and in the towns and cities just beyond it — that we think are genuinely worth building an afternoon around.
| Club | Sport | Ground / Town | League (2026–27) | Status |
| Cheltenham Town FC | Football | Whaddon Road, Cheltenham | EFL League Two | Open |
| Forest Green Rovers | Football | The New Lawn, Nailsworth | National League | Open |
| Swindon Town FC | Football | County Ground, Swindon | EFL League Two | Open |
| Oxford United FC | Football | Kassam Stadium, Oxford | EFL League One | Open |
| Gloucester City AFC | Football | Meadow Park, Gloucester | Southern League Premier Division South | Open |
| Cirencester Town FC | Football | Corinium Stadium, Cirencester | Hellenic League Premier Division | Open |
| Evesham United FC | Football | Jubilee Stadium, Evesham | Southern League Premier Division South | Open |
| Bishop’s Cleeve FC | Football | Kayte Lane, Bishop’s Cleeve | Southern League Division One South | Open |
| Bath City FC | Football | Twerton Park, Bath | Southern League Premier South | Open |
| Banbury United FC | Football | Spencer Stadium, Banbury | Southern League Premier Central | Open |
| Bristol City FC | Football | Ashton Gate, Bristol | EFL Championship | Open |
| Bristol Rovers FC | Football | Memorial Stadium, Bristol | EFL League Two | Open |
| Bourton Rovers FC | Football | Rissington Road, Bourton-on-the-Water | Hellenic League Division Two West | Open |
| Fairford Town FC | Football | Cinder Lane, Fairford | Hellenic League Premier Division | Open |
| Shortwood United FC | Football | Meadowbank Ground, Nailsworth | Hellenic League Division One | Open |
| Tuffley Rovers FC | Football | Glevum Park, Gloucester | Hellenic League | Open |
| Gloucester Rugby | Rugby | Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester | Gallagher Premiership | Open |
| Bath Rugby | Rugby | The Recreation Ground, Bath | Gallagher Premiership | Open |
| Bristol Bears | Rugby | Ashton Gate Stadium, Bristol | Gallagher Premiership | Open |
| Gloucester-Hartpury Women | Rugby | Kingsholm / Hartpury Stadium | Premiership Women’s Rugby | Open — reigning champions |
| Hartpury University RFC | Rugby | Hartpury Stadium, Hartpury | RFU Championship (“Champ Rugby”) | Open |
| Cinderford RFC | Rugby | Beavis Memorial Ground, Cinderford | National League 2 West | Open |
| Cheltenham Tigers RFC | Rugby | Newlands Park, Cheltenham | Western Counties North | Open |
| Painswick RFC | Rugby | Broadham Fields, Painswick | Verify current tier before publishing | Open |
| Cirencester RFC | Rugby | The Whiteway, Cirencester | Verify current tier before publishing | Open |
| Stow-on-the-Wold & District RFC | Rugby | Oddington Road, Stow-on-the-Wold | Southern Counties North | Open |
| Dursley RFC | Rugby | Stinchcombe, Dursley | Multiple senior tiers | Open |
| Stroud RFC | Rugby | Fromehall Park, Stroud | Counties 2 Gloucestershire | Open |
| Oxford Harlequins RFC | Rugby | Oxford | Regional 1 Midlands | Open |
| Swindon RFC | Rugby | Greenbridge Road, Swindon | Regional 2 Severn | Open |
| Banbury RUFC | Rugby | Graf UK Stadium, Bodicote | Regional 1 Midlands | Open |
| Cheltenham Hockey Club | Hockey | Balcarras School, Cheltenham | West Premier / regional leagues | Open |
| Cirencester Hockey Club | Hockey | Deer Park School, Cirencester | West Area Cotswold Division 1 | Open |
| Stroud Hockey Club | Hockey | Wycliffe School / Stratford Park, Stroud | West Men’s Division 2 East | Open |
| Gloucester City Hockey Club | Hockey | Oxstalls Sports Park, Gloucester | Women’s EHL Division One North | Open |
| Bourton and Sherborne Hockey Club | Hockey | The Cotswold School, Bourton-on-the-Water | GoCrea8 League, Marches Division 2 | Open |
| Oxford Hawks Hockey Club | Hockey | Banbury Road North, Oxford | Men’s EHL Division One South | Open |
| Swindon Hockey Club | Hockey | The Deanery Academy, Swindon | West Open Men’s Division 1 North | Open |
| Team Bath Buccaneers | Hockey | University of Bath Sports Training Village | Men’s England Hockey League | Open |
| Clifton Robinsons Hockey Club | Hockey | Coombe Dingle, Bristol | Women’s EHL Premier Division | Open |
| Bristol Firebrands Hockey Club | Hockey | Failand, Bristol | West Men’s Premier / Women’s EHL | Open |
| Cheltenham Lacrosse Club (“Cougars”) | Lacrosse | Cheltenham Civil Service Club, Cheltenham | SEMLA Division 2 / South West Women’s Lacrosse | Open |
| Cirencester Lacrosse Club | Lacrosse | Cirencester | South West Lacrosse Association Premier Division | Open |
| Bath Lacrosse Club | Lacrosse | Hampset Cricket Club / University of Bath | SEMLA / South West Women’s Lacrosse | Open |
| Bristol Bombers Lacrosse Club | Lacrosse | Bristol | SEMLA / South West Women’s Lacrosse | Open |
1. Football
The Professional & Semi-Professional Tier
Cheltenham Town FC
Whaddon Road, Cheltenham · EFL League Two · 2026–27 is the club’s 140th season
Founded in 1887, “The Robins” spent fifty years in regional football and another fifty in the Southern League before finally reaching the Football League in 1999 under local manager Steve Cotterill — a genuinely long climb. Goalkeeper Jack Butland came through here on loan on his way to England caps and a 2012 Olympics call-up. A proper small-town League Two ground with a friendly, family-oriented feel — the Family Section is in Block C of the main stand.
Fixtures & tickets: ctfc.com
Forest Green Rovers
The New Lawn, Nailsworth · National League
The headline story in this entire guide: FGR are the world’s first vegan football club, certified by the Vegan Society since 2017, with an organic pitch, solar power and energy supplied by owner Dale Vince’s renewable-energy company Ecotricity — recognised as the greenest football club in the world. Book online rather than on the day, since advance prices are noticeably cheaper (roughly £16 adult) and under-11s go for £1, making this an easy, curious afternoon out for families.
Note: Recent press has covered speculation about a possible sale of the club by owner Dale Vince following relegation from the EFL — worth a light check closer to a guest’s visit rather than treating current ownership as settled long-term.
Fixtures & tickets: fgr.co.uk
Swindon Town FC
County Ground, Swindon · EFL League Two · 2026–27 is the club’s 148th season
“The Robins” have genuine giant-killing pedigree: as a Third Division side they beat Arsenal 3-1 in the 1969 League Cup Final at Wembley, then beat AS Roma (featuring a young Fabio Capello) in the resulting Anglo-Italian Cup — one of the biggest shocks in English football history.
Fixtures & tickets: swindontownfc.co.uk
Oxford United FC
Kassam Stadium, Oxford · EFL League One
“The U’s” were relegated from the Championship at the end of 2025-26 and return to League One for their 133rd season. Planning permission was granted in 2025 for a new 16,000-capacity, all-electric stadium at “the Triangle” near Kidlington, with an attached 180-bed hotel — but the club remains at Kassam for now, with the move not expected before 2028.
Fixtures & tickets: oufc.co.uk
Gloucester City AFC
Meadow Park, Gloucester · Southern League Premier Division South
Rebuilt in 2020 after thirteen years playing away from Gloucester following the catastrophic 2007 floods that destroyed the club’s previous ground — a genuine story of resilience, and worth mentioning to guests as more than just a football fixture.
Note: The ground’s sponsor name has changed more than once in recent seasons — worth a quick check immediately before a visit.
Fixtures & tickets: gloucestercityafc.com
Cirencester Town FC
Corinium Stadium, Cirencester · Hellenic League Premier Division
“The Centurions” play at a genuinely pleasant, family-friendly ground (capacity 4,500) with admission around £10 and under-16s free — an easy, inexpensive way to introduce guests to a real semi-professional matchday.
Fixtures & tickets: cirentownfc.com
Bath City FC
Twerton Park, Bath · Southern League Premier South
“The Romans” were relegated from the National League South at the end of 2025-26 and now play in the Southern League. Their local derby against Chippenham Town remains a highlight of the fixture list.
Fixtures & tickets: bathcityfc.com
Also worth knowing: Evesham United FC (Jubilee Stadium, Evesham, Southern League Premier Division South), Bishop’s Cleeve FC (Kayte Lane, Southern League Division One South), Banbury United FC (Spencer Stadium, Southern League Premier Central), and — for guests wanting a bigger city stage — Bristol City FC (Ashton Gate, Championship) and Bristol Rovers FC (Memorial Stadium, League Two).
Characterful Village Football
Bourton Rovers FC
Rissington Road, Bourton-on-the-Water · Hellenic League Division Two West
Founded in 1894 and playing right behind the village cricket club, Bourton Rovers’ genuine claim to fame is “Football in the River” — every August Bank Holiday, the club moves its match into the shallow waters of the River Windrush itself. Grassroots level, but one of the most photogenic and purely fun sporting traditions in this entire guide.
Fixtures & tickets: bourtonroversfootball.com
Fairford Town FC
Cinder Lane, Fairford · Hellenic League Premier Division
A genuinely watchable semi-professional match in a small Cotswold town — Fairford finished 7th of 20 in 2025-26.
Fixtures & tickets: fairfordtownfc.co.uk
2. Rugby Union
Gallagher Premiership Rugby
Gloucester Rugby
Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester · Gallagher Premiership Rugby · capacity 16,115
One of England’s most historic clubs, founded in 1873. Kingsholm is nicknamed “Castle Grim,” and its famous North Stand terrace — “The Shed” — is one of the last standing terraces left in English professional rugby, saved by a 2007 “Save Our Shed” fan campaign and legendary for its noise and closeness to the pitch. The ground has hosted Rugby World Cup pool matches in both 1991 and 2015. Individual tickets run from around £27 adult / £11 junior depending on fixture category; 2026-27 memberships were reported from roughly £349 adult, covering all home league games.
Fixtures & tickets: gloucesterrugby.co.uk
Bath Rugby
The Recreation Ground (“The Rec”), Bath · Gallagher Premiership Rugby
A genuinely central city-centre ground, five minutes’ walk from the Roman Baths and bounded by Georgian terraces — one of the most attractive settings in English rugby. The club runs a lively, family-friendly “fan village” with live music on matchdays, and hospitality packages (from around £168pp) include a three-course pre-match meal.
Fixtures & tickets: bathrugby.com
Bristol Bears
Ashton Gate Stadium, Bristol · Gallagher Premiership Rugby
A big, modern 26,389-seat stadium shared with Bristol City FC — a different character to Kingsholm or The Rec, more “city arena” than intimate club ground, but a good choice for the derby atmosphere against Bath or Gloucester. Bristol Bears Women also play select Premiership Women’s Rugby fixtures here.
Fixtures & tickets: bristolbearsrugby.com
Women’s Rugby
Gloucester-Hartpury Women
Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester / Hartpury Stadium, Hartpury · Premiership Women’s Rugby
Jointly run by Gloucester Rugby and Hartpury University since 2014, and nicknamed “The Circus Cherry and Whites” — three-time PWR/Premier 15s champions (2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25), the first team outside London ever to win the title. Eight players from the squad were part of England’s 2025 World Cup-winning side, including captain Zoe Aldcroft. Finals have been played at Kingsholm — rebranded “Queensholm” for the occasion — drawing crowds of over 9,600.
Fixtures & tickets: gloucesterrugby.co.uk
Championship & National League
Hartpury University RFC
Hartpury Stadium, Hartpury, Gloucestershire · RFU Championship (“Champ Rugby”)
Founded in 2004 as a university academy side, Hartpury rose through eleven divisions to win National League 1 undefeated in 2016-17 and has stayed in the Championship ever since — a genuine feeder club for both Gloucester and Bristol Bears, with several players dual-registered.
Fixtures & tickets: hartpury.ac.uk/rugby/
Cinderford RFC
Beavis Memorial Ground, Cinderford, Forest of Dean · National League 2 West
One of the best-supported semi-professional clubs in Gloucestershire, known for passionate, tight-knit Forest of Dean crowds. Genuinely worth the detour for a proper, well-attended community rugby afternoon.
Fixtures & tickets: cinderfordrfc.co.uk
Community Clubs Worth Knowing
Painswick RFC
Broadham Fields, Painswick
Formed in 1872, Painswick styles itself “the original Cherry & Whites” and claims to be the oldest village rugby club in England, predating Gloucester’s own cherry-and-white association — a lovely detail for a guest, even though it’s the club’s own claim rather than independently verified. Former player Tim Payne went on to win Premiership and Heineken Cup honours with Wasps.
Fixtures & tickets: painswickrfc.rfu.club
Cheltenham Tigers RFC
Newlands Park, Cheltenham · Western Counties North
Named Community Rugby Club of the Year in 2024, with a strong minis, youth and women’s programme.
Fixtures & tickets: cheltenhamtigers.co.uk
Cirencester RFC
The Whiteway, Cirencester
Founded in 1949 with a strong junior section and a long history of local cup wins.
Note: Current league tier should be checked directly on the club’s own site shortly before publishing — grassroots leagues reshuffle every close season.
Fixtures & tickets: crfc.co.uk
Stow-on-the-Wold & District RFC
Oddington Road, Stow-on-the-Wold · Southern Counties North
The genuine north-Cotswolds club serving the Stow/Moreton-in-Marsh/Chipping Campden area, with a women’s and girls’ section that has grown from four to forty players in a single year.
Fixtures & tickets: stowrfc.rfu.club
3. Hockey
Field hockey has a genuinely strong, active amateur club presence right across this area — far more so than football or rugby at grassroots level — with the English club season running September/October to March. Almost every club below welcomes spectators free of charge, no booking needed.
Cheltenham Hockey Club
Balcarras School, Cheltenham (with additional pitches at Cheltenham College)
Described by the club itself as “the home of hockey in Gloucestershire” — an extensive multi-team club fielding Men’s 1st–4th XIs, Women’s 1st–5th XIs, two Mixed XIs and a full youth programme. The Men’s and Women’s 1st XIs both play at a high regional standard, with fixtures against Oxford Hawks, Bristol University and Sutton Coldfield among others.
Fixtures & tickets: chelthockey.org
Cirencester Hockey Club
Deer Park School, Cirencester (juniors also at the Royal Agricultural University)
Fields Men’s, Ladies’ and a full junior structure from U8 to U16, with the Men’s 2nd XI playing in West Area Men’s Cotswold Division 1.
Fixtures & tickets: cirencesterhockeyclub.co.uk
Gloucester City Hockey Club
Oxstalls Sports Park, Gloucester · founded 1897
One of the oldest clubs in the region, fielding five women’s and four men’s teams. The Ladies’ 1st XI plays in the Women’s England Hockey League Division One North — their best-ever league finish came in 2024-25 — and the squad includes Sally Walton, a 2012 Olympic bronze medallist, who also coaches the club’s juniors.
Fixtures & tickets: gloucestercityhockey.co.uk
Bourton and Sherborne Hockey Club
The Cotswold School, Bourton-on-the-Water
The genuine north-Cotswolds hockey club — two senior men’s teams, three ladies’ teams, two mixed teams and a junior section of 40 to 70 children, playing in the GoCrea8 League.
Fixtures & tickets: bashc.co.uk
Oxford Hawks Hockey Club
Banbury Road North, Oxford · founded 1938
One of the strongest clubs in the wider region, and the club that built Oxfordshire’s first artificial hockey pitch back in 1990. The Men’s 1st XI plays in Men’s England Hockey League Division One South and the Women’s 1st XI in the Investec Conference West — near-national standard hockey.
Fixtures & tickets: oxfordhawks.co.uk
Also worth knowing: Stroud Hockey Club (training at Wycliffe School and Stratford Park Leisure Centre), Swindon Hockey Club (The Deanery CE Academy), Team Bath Buccaneers (University of Bath Sports Training Village, run in partnership with the University since 1999), and in Bristol — the region’s hockey powerhouse — Clifton Robinsons Hockey Club (whose Ladies’ 1st XI plays in the Investec Women’s Hockey League Premier Division, the top domestic tier) and Bristol Firebrands Hockey Club (Failand).
4. Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a genuine curiosity rather than a headline sport in this guide — a real, active adult club scene exists, but it’s concentrated in just a handful of towns and is not something a casual visitor would stumble across without knowing to look. So for those who already know and love the sport, or simply enjoy the unexpected.
Cheltenham Lacrosse Club (“Cheltenham Cougars”)
Cheltenham Civil Service Club, Tewkesbury Road, Cheltenham
Describes itself as “Cheltenham and Gloucestershire’s only competitive senior lacrosse club” — and on the evidence of this research, that appears to be accurate. Fields Men’s 1st and 2nd XIs and a Women’s team, playing regular home fixtures against Bristol Bombers, Cirencester and others through the September-to-March season, with match reports explicitly mentioning spectators.
Fixtures & tickets: cheltenhamlacrosseclub.co.uk
Also playing in the same South West lacrosse circuit: Cirencester Lacrosse Club (a smaller, lower-profile club competing in the South West Lacrosse Association Premier Division), Bath Lacrosse Club (training at Hampset Cricket Club, running its own “Bath Eights” tournament since 1986) and Bristol Bombers Lacrosse Club, one of the largest clubs in the South West. Oxford University and University of Bristol both field competitive lacrosse teams in BUCS competition and the historic Oxford-Cambridge Varsity Match, and Cheltenham Ladies’ College is nationally known for schoolgirl lacrosse — but none of these publish or promote spectator-facing fixtures in the way the adult community clubs above do.
Where to Stay
Several of the clubs above sit within easy reach of our own properties.
The Kingham Cottages Collection
Puts the Kingham, Oddington and Chipping Norton area — and Stow-on-the-Wold & District RFC — within easy reach.
Browse the collection: https://www.luxurycotswoldrentals.co.uk/property-category/the-kingham-cottages-collection/
The Temple Guiting Collection
Comfortably placed for Bourton Rovers, Bourton and Sherborne Hockey Club, and Cheltenham’s football, rugby and hockey clubs.
Browse the collection: https://www.luxurycotswoldrentals.co.uk/property-category/the-temple-guiting-collection/
The Stancombe Estate Collection
Puts Forest Green Rovers, Shortwood United and Dursley RFC within a short drive.
Browse the collection: https://www.luxurycotswoldrentals.co.uk/property-category/the-stancombe-estate-collection/
The Full Collection
For the complete range of Cotswold properties.
Browse all properties: https://www.luxurycotswoldrentals.co.uk/properties/
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