English League Two football club Salford City has confirmed that it will continue playing at the Peninsula Stadium during the 2022-23 season amid ongoing talks regarding a proposed move to AJ Bell Stadium.
AJ Bell Stadium (pictured) is home to rugby league club Salford Red Devils and rugby union outfit Sale Sharks. In October, Sharks chief executive Sid Sutton confirmed a joint bid with Salford City to buy the ground but the offer will not be tabled until the Red Devils can find a new stadium.
In a statement, Salford City said that discussions over a move to AJ Bell Stadium have been ongoing for a while. With “some work” still needing to be done, the club will continue playing at the Peninsula Stadium next season.
The club’s statement added: “However we are optimistic that a deal will still be done and in principle things are agreed, there are just some particulars that still need working out in respect of the future of Salford Red Devils.”
Salford City is hopeful of being at AJ Bell Stadium for the 2023-24 season.
The Red Devils, which play in the Super League, have previously said that they cannot afford to be part of a joint bid for AJ Bell Stadium. The Sharks, which compete in the Premiership, did have plans to build a new stadium but these fell through in September 2020 after Trafford Council withdrew its support.
It has previously been reported that the Red Devils were considering a move to the Peninsula Stadium, which would have seen the rugby league club swap grounds with Salford City.
The Red Devils and the Sharks have both played at the 12,000-capacity AJ Bell Stadium since it opened in 2012. The Red Devils’ rental agreement with the stadium ends in 2023.
The Peninsula Stadium has a capacity of 5,100. Salford City, which is currently 11th in League Two, is part-owned by former Manchester United players David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, and Gary and Phil Neville.
Image: Bill Boaden/CC BY-SA 2.0/Edited for size
