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Swansea Council leader Rob Stewart says the authority will do all they can to make sure the Ospreys stay in the city
Swansea Council leader Rob Stewart says they “exploring every option” – including legal ones – to keep the Ospreys in the city.
The local authority figurehead was speaking following the bombshell news on Monday evening that Y11, the Ospreys‘ majority shareholders, will enter into a period of exclusivity with the Welsh Rugby Union in an attempt to buy rivals Cardiff Rugby.
Although the WRU have not named Y11 specifically, WalesOnline understands they are the union’s preferred bidders to take the reins at the Arms Park.
That would throw the Ospreys’ future into huge doubt – as well as the development of their proposed new home at St Helen’s.
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Back in the summer of 2025, it was announced that Swansea Council and the Ospreys had agreed a lease to allow the club to move back into the ground.
The club had been set to move in at the start of this year, but that was pushed back to the start of the next rugby season (September 2026), with their home games now being played at the Brewery Field in Bridgend in the interim.
Stewart says they will pursue every avenue to keep the club in Swansea, adding that the WRU’s “ongoing lack of clarity” is “unacceptable”.
He said: “We remain 100% committed to supporting the Ospreys returning to St Helen’s as Swansea’s regional rugby base.
“As the second largest city in Wales with the most successful rugby region and an extensive and long-established grassroots rugby base, it is vital that we retain regional rugby in Swansea.
“We are seeking clarification from Y11, the owners of the Ospreys, about their involvement in any bid process and their intentions for the Ospreys.
“The WRU’s ongoing lack of clarity and failure to provide meaningful detail is unacceptable. Their approach has unsettled and alienated rugby supporters across Wales.
“Without transparency, no one can judge whether the WRU’s proposals are in the best interests of Welsh rugby. This uncertainty is damaging the game, and we are already seeing more regional players leave Wales because they cannot rely on a stable future here.
“In light of this, the council is considering all our options, including legal action, to safeguard the future of regional rugby in Swansea.”
Other politicians have also got involved; Torsten Bell, MP for Swansea West, added: “The Ospreys have the strongest track record of any region in the game. The club and its fans should never be treated by the WRU in the way we have seen in recent days.
“On this, as with so much else, the WRU has behaved disgracefully from start to finish. They will need to justify their chaotic decision-making when facing questions in Parliament tomorrow.
“This isn’t over by any means –legal advice is being taken on the next steps and I am urgently writing to Y11 to call for a meeting to clarify their intentions in the coming days.
“Rugby matters in Swansea and to far more people than those who make it to an Ospreys match each week, from the importance of the grassroots game to the vital redevelopment of St Helen’s stadium. The game and the city deserve better than this latest round of turmoil imposed on them by the WRU.”
The WRU have been in the process of trying to cut the number of professional clubs in Wales from four to three. Y11 taking over Cardiff is one pathway to achieving that, but the move has sparked a fierce backlash from fans and pundits.
Ospreys Supporters’ Club said in a statement on Monday: “Tonight’s breaking news is hugely concerning for Ospreys supporters. At this time, we call on Y11 to address the concerns directly and without delay. After a prolonged period of uncertainty culminating in this news this evening, the least our supporters deserve is a full explanation.”
Losing professional rugby from Swansea would be a hammerblow for the city.
Stewart added the council’s commitment to the new sports park away from St Helen’s would remain unaffected.
‘’The council has also reaffirmed its commitment to creating a state-of-the-art sports park in the city, incorporating the Wales National Pool, rugby and cricket,” he added. “These plans are unaffected by the WRU’s plans for regional rugby. The council will continue to work with sports organisations, academic institutions and investors to further develop these plans’’
