⚽ WOODSIDE ROAD ⚽
Worthing FC – Your Complete Travel Guide for 2026-27
ℹ️ 2026-27 Season Guide: All information has been researched and verified for the 2026-27 National League season — the Rebels’ first-ever campaign at this level following their 2025-26 National League South title win. Always check worthingfc.com for the latest ticketing and matchday updates before you travel. The ground has grown quickly in recent seasons with new stands added in 2023-24 and 2024, so facilities may continue to evolve.
🏟️ ABOUT WOODSIDE ROAD
Woodside Road, officially the Sussex Transport Community Stadium, has been Worthing’s home since 1937, built on the northern portion of the old Pavilion Road Sports Ground that had hosted football on the same patch of West Sussex since 1892. The ground has grown quickly in recent seasons, with a new West Stand (around 750 capacity) added in 2023-24 and a further 1,800-capacity North Stand completed in 2024, pushing capacity up considerably from its previous levels.
The Main Stand (South Stand) is the traditional seated stand, rebuilt in 1986 after the original burned down the year before. The newer West and North Stands have transformed the ground’s character and capacity in a short space of time, while the East side retains the original turnstiles. Genuinely unusually for this level, Worthing’s ground isn’t normally segregated at all — segregation is only introduced for specific fixtures where it’s required, with the away allocation carved out of whichever end the club designates on the day.
The stadium has a genuinely small footprint, hemmed in by housing on three sides and a bowls club on the fourth, so don’t expect much parking right at the ground. A new record attendance of 4,002 was set on the final day of 2025-26 for the title-deciding match against Ebbsfleet United — a fitting way to confirm Worthing’s first-ever promotion to the National League.
Worthing, known as the Rebels (after resigning from the West Sussex League on a point of principle in 1920) or the Mackerel Men (a nod to the three fish on the club crest and the town’s fishing heritage), were founded in 1886. The club came close to financial collapse in the mid-2010s before former youth player George Dowell — paralysed in a car accident in 2010 — took over as chairman in 2015 aged just 22, steering the club from the brink to their first-ever National League campaign in 2026-27.
Worthing itself is a genuine Sussex seaside town, with a Victorian pier, a long promenade and the South Downs rising immediately behind it; a proper day-out destination beyond the 90 minutes.
📊 STADIUM SPECIFICATIONS – 2026-27
| Capacity | Growing following recent redevelopment — record attendance of 4,002 set in 2025-26 |
| Ground Name | Woodside Road (officially the Sussex Transport Community Stadium) |
| Address | Woodside Road, Worthing, West Sussex, BN14 7HQ |
| Away Section | ⚠️ Varies by fixture — the ground usually isn’t segregated at all |
| Opened | 1937 (football played on the site since 1892) |
| Record Attendance | 4,002 vs Ebbsfleet United, National League South title decider (2026) |
| Division | National League (2026-27 — the club’s first-ever season at this level) |
| Pitch | Artificial 3G surface |
| Club Website | worthingfc.com |
| Ticket Office | 01903 233444 |
🚗 GETTING TO WOODSIDE ROAD
Worthing and West Worthing stations are both about a 10-minute walk from the ground, with direct services from Brighton and London Victoria. By car, there’s no motorway link on this stretch of the Sussex coast, so the A23/A24 into Worthing will make up the bulk of your journey — and be aware that parking right at the ground is genuinely very limited.
🗺️ STADIUM LOCATION MAP
Woodside Road Address: Woodside Road, Worthing, West Sussex, BN14 7HQ | Satnav: BN14 7HQ
🚂 BY TRAIN – Two Stations, Both a 10-Minute Walk
Genuinely Convenient: Both Worthing and West Worthing stations sit around 10 minutes’ walk from the ground, on the coastal line between Brighton and Southampton, with direct services also running from London Victoria.
Journey Times to Worthing:
🔴 Carlisle/Gateshead/Hartlepool: Approx. 6-7 hrs (multiple changes via London)
🟠 Halifax/Altrincham/Solihull: Approx. 4.5-5.5 hrs (change in London or Birmingham)
🟡 Boston/Tamworth/Kidderminster: Approx. 3.5-4 hrs (change in London)
🟢 Woking/Sutton/Southend: Approx. 1.5-2.5 hrs (crossing London or via Redhill)
🔵 London Victoria: Approx. 1 hr 30 mins (direct)
🟣 Brighton: Approx. 20-25 mins (direct)
Getting from the Station to Woodside Road
🚶 Walking (10 mins)
From Worthing station, turn right from the front entrance, walk along Cross Street, cross onto South Farm Road, then turn left onto Pavilion Road; Woodside Road is around 300 metres ahead on the right.
🚌 Local Bus
Stagecoach services 5 and 10 run via Worthing station roughly twice an hour; the simplest option if you’re unfamiliar with the area is to alight at the station and follow the walking directions above. Compass Bus 16 runs a bit closer to the ground (Bulkington Avenue stop, six to seven minutes’ walk) but only once an hour.
🚕 Taxi
Readily available from either station, a sensible option for evening fixtures.
💡 Top Tip: The walk from either station takes you through Worthing’s residential streets rather than the seafront — if you fancy a look at the sea, build in extra time either side of the walk to the ground.
🔗 Train Times & Tickets: nationalrail.co.uk | thetrainline.com
🚗 BY CAR – A23/A24, Genuinely Very Limited Parking
Worthing sits on the Sussex coast without a motorway link, so the A23 and A24 will make up most of your journey. The ground itself has a very small footprint hemmed in by housing, so on-site and street parking is genuinely limited — the club’s own advice is to use Queen Street Car Park instead.
If You’re Driving:
- Via the A23/A24: Both roads feed into Worthing from the north, with local signage guiding you towards the town centre and Woodside Road from there.
Parking Options:
- Queen Street Car Park (BN14 7BJ): The club’s recommended option, behind the church on Queen Street, around 80 spaces and a little over half a mile (under 15 minutes) from the ground.
- Street Parking: Extremely limited near the ground itself, with housing packed in on three sides — don’t expect to park close by.
- Accessible Parking: Must be booked in advance directly with the club.
💡 Top Tip: Don’t rely on finding anywhere to park right by the ground — head straight for Queen Street Car Park and enjoy the walk in through the town.
🍺 PUBS & DRINKS NEAR WOODSIDE ROAD
✅ GOOD NEWS: Worthing has a genuinely excellent pub and micropub scene for a town of its size; it’s among the best on the entire National League away day circuit.
🍺 Near Worthing Station
⚠️ The Railway Hotel (right outside Worthing Station, south side)
A recently refurbished pub (a £3 million renovation by Portobello Brewing) right outside the station. Traditionally more of a home fans’ pub, so worth bearing in mind if you’d rather a neutral option.
⚠️ Caution advised
🍺 The Three Fishes (Wetherspoons, Worthing town centre)
A safe, reliable Wetherspoons option, a short walk from the station, with the usual dependable menu and beer range.
Price: £
🍺 Worthing Town & Seafront
🍺 Toad in the Hole (Worthing town centre)
The Hand Brew Co.’s own pub, showcasing the local brewery’s own beers alongside guest ales — a genuinely good option for anyone into their craft beer.
Price: ££
🍺 The Valley Bar (10-12 Warwick Street, BN11 3DL)
A cross between a sports bar and wine bar, with big screens for live football and a genuinely strong wine list alongside the usual beers and spirits.
Price: ££
🍺 The Goose Crafthouse (18A Marine Parade, BN11 3PT)
Right on the seafront near Worthing Pier, with a strong craft keg selection and outside seating overlooking the sea — card only, no cash accepted. A great option if you’re combining the game with a look at the coast.
Price: ££
🍔 Food Options: The ground’s Fan Zone (opens around 1pm on matchdays) offers pies, pasties and chips from club-run outlets, plus rotating pop-up food stalls. Worthing town centre and seafront offer a much wider range if you arrive early.
💡 Local Tip: Worthing is genuinely one of the best towns in the division for pubs, with well into double figures of decent options within reach of the station — worth building in proper time to explore rather than settling for the first one you see.
🏨 WHERE TO STAY IN WORTHING
As an established Sussex seaside resort, Worthing has a good range of accommodation, from budget chains to seafront hotels with genuine sea views.
💷 Budget Options (£55-85 per night)
Premier Inn Worthing Seafront
A reliable budget option right on the seafront, a short walk or bus ride from the ground and close to plenty of the town’s pubs.
Location: Worthing seafront | Book: premierinn.com
Travelodge Worthing Central
A straightforward budget base in the town centre, well placed for both the station and the walk out to the ground.
Location: Worthing town centre | Book: travelodge.co.uk
💷💷 Mid-Range Options (£85-140 per night)
Ardington Hotel
A comfortable, well-regarded seafront hotel with sea views from many rooms, a good mid-range option for a proper seaside stay.
Location: Worthing seafront | Book: Search directly online for latest rates
💷💷💷 Luxury Options (£140+ per night)
Chatsworth Hotel
A grand, traditional seafront hotel with genuine period character, ideal for a proper seaside occasion alongside the football.
Location: Worthing seafront | Book: Search directly online for latest rates
⚠️ Booking Advice
Book ahead for summer weekends, when Worthing’s popularity as a seaside destination pushes prices up alongside matchday demand.
🎯 THINGS TO DO IN WORTHING
Worthing is a genuine Sussex seaside town with the South Downs rising immediately behind it, offering a decent mix of coastal attractions and countryside walks either side of the football.
🏙️ Worthing Pier (Must Visit!)
A classic Victorian pleasure pier stretching out into the English Channel, with amusements, a cafe and genuinely lovely views along the coast — a proper seaside institution.
Cost: Free to walk | Time: Allow 30-60 mins
⛰️ Highdown Gardens & Cissbury Ring
Just outside town, Highdown Gardens offer a peaceful chalk garden, while Cissbury Ring — one of the largest Iron Age hillforts in England — provides genuinely spectacular views over the South Downs and coastline.
Cost: Free | Time: Allow 1-2 hours
🎨 Worthing Museum & Art Gallery
A well-regarded local museum with an eclectic collection spanning art, costume and local history — a good option if the weather turns.
Cost: Free entry | Time: Allow 1-1.5 hours
Nearby
Worthing Seafront & Promenade:
A long, pleasant promenade with plenty of cafes and bars along the way — a genuinely nice spot for a pre or post-match wander.
🐟 THE SUSSEX SEASIDE EXPERIENCE
🆕 History in the Making: Worthing’s 2026-27 campaign is the club’s first ever in the National League, a genuinely remarkable rise for a club that came close to collapse just a decade ago.
🏙️ A Ground Transformed: Two new stands in successive seasons have changed the character of Woodside Road significantly — expect it to keep evolving as the club settles into life at this level.
🍺 A Genuine Pub Town: Worthing’s pub and micropub scene is one of the strongest on the National League circuit — well worth building extra time into your visit to explore properly.
🐟 Two Nicknames, One Club: Worthing are known as both the Rebels and the Mackerel Men — don’t be confused if you hear either used on matchday.
🏖️ Proper Seaside Setting: With the pier, promenade and South Downs all close by, this is a genuinely enjoyable away day to extend beyond the 90 minutes.
⚽ THE MATCHDAY EXPERIENCE
🤝 Relaxed, Friendly Ground: With segregation not the norm at Woodside Road, expect a genuinely relaxed, community feel compared to most National League away days.
🏟️ Restricted Sightlines in Places: Some corners of the ground have posts that can obstruct the view — worth bearing in mind when picking your spot.
🚗 Genuinely Limited Parking: Don’t expect to drive right up to the ground — head for Queen Street Car Park and enjoy the walk in.
🎫 Book Ahead for Bigger Fixtures: With the club new to this level and the ground still growing, popular fixtures may sell out — buying online in advance is a sensible precaution.
🚆 Easy Post-Match Getaway: With two stations nearby and direct links to Brighton and London, getting away after the final whistle is straightforward.
💭 FINAL THOUGHTS
Woodside Road is a ground genuinely transformed in a short space of time, with two new stands arriving in successive seasons as Worthing have risen from the brink of collapse to their first ever National League campaign. The lack of routine segregation gives it a relaxed, community feel that’s increasingly rare in the modern game.
Worthing itself is a genuine bonus — a proper Sussex seaside town with a Victorian pier, a lovely promenade, and one of the strongest pub scenes anywhere in the National League. Both stations sit an easy 10 minutes from the ground, making this a straightforward away day to build a bigger day out around.
Add in George Dowell’s genuinely inspiring ownership story and a club still riding the wave of its first-ever promotion to this level, and this is a thoroughly enjoyable, low-hassle away day with a great deal of goodwill behind it.
A seaside town, a growing ground, and a club’s first National League adventure. ⚽
⚽ Come On You Rebels! ⚽
📞 USEFUL CONTACTS
🏟️ Worthing FC: 01903 233444 | worthingfc.com
🎫 Ticket Office: 01903 233444
🚂 National Rail: 03457 48 49 50 | nationalrail.co.uk
🏖️ Visit Worthing: visitworthing.co.uk
⚡ QUICK REFERENCE – WOODSIDE ROAD
| Stadium | Woodside Road (Sussex Transport Community Stadium) |
| Postcode | BN14 7HQ |
| Nearest Station | Worthing or West Worthing (both 10 min walk) |
| By Car | A23/A24 into Worthing (no motorway link) |
| Parking | Queen Street Car Park (BN14 7BJ), under 15 min walk — very limited elsewhere |
| Away Stand | ⚠️ Varies by fixture — ground usually unsegregated |
| Record Attendance | 4,002 (2026, vs Ebbsfleet United) |
| Pitch | Artificial 3G |
| Pre-Match Pub | The Three Fishes (Wetherspoons), Worthing town centre |
| Club Hashtag | #WorthingFC #TheRebels #NationalLeague |
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John Herman is a Leeds-based, would-be football writer and founder of Football Nonsense. Blending fan passion with sharp opinion, attempting to tackle the game’s biggest debates, from the terraces to the boardroom, with honesty, (attempted) humour, and heart.