As the new football season kicks off on Saturday, the Leader of Merton Council is looking forward to welcoming AFC Wimbledon home to their brand new stadium next year.

Preliminary construction work has already begun on the stadium in Plough Lane, Wimbledon, with a capacity of 9,000 which can be expanded to 20,000 by creating a bowl-shaped arena. The new stadium will be at the centre of a development including 600 much-needed homes, shops and a squash and fitness club.

While AFC Wimbledon are playing their first matches of 2019/20, the Council has teamed up with the AFC Wimbledon Foundation during the summer holidays to run sports, including football, at Phipps Bridge Youth Centre. They will also be helping to tackle food poverty by organising cooking classes for families and serving nutritious lunches to children during the school break.