Ipswich Town Women will play their home games at Colchester United’s JobServe Community Stadium for the next two seasons, while the men’s U21s will also host matches at the Essex side’s ground.
Joe Sheehan’s side won the FAWNL Southern Premier League in 2024/25 and were promoted to the second tier, which from new campaign onwards will be known as WSL2.
The Blues have played their home games Felixstowe & Walton’s Martello Ground for more than a decade but the WSL2 requires facilities at a higher level.
Town have been involved in upgrading the pitch at the JobServe Community Stadium ahead of the new campaign.
"It was fitting we secured promotion at the Martello Ground given how much hard work has been put in there over the years and we are supremely grateful for the hospitality and support we have been shown by everyone at Felixstowe & Walton United during our time there,” Rachel Harris, Town’s head of women’s football, said.
"With the additional requirements and challenges following promotion to the second tier for the first time, it sadly wasn’t possible to maintain the Martello as our home.
"We're excited to be playing our WSL2 games at Colchester and we can’t wait to welcome our fans to the stadium as we make the step up next season.”
Town chairman Mark Ashton added: "Everyone at the club is extremely proud as our women’s team prepares to step up to the second tier for the first time in our history, with such brilliant scenes following promotion at the end of last season.
"We’re excited for the possibilities available to us at Colchester and look forward to seeing as many of our fans there as possible supporting Joe Sheehan and his team.”
Town add that the women will again play at Portman Road during the season ahead following successful games in the previous two campaigns, while they say that over the course of the two-year agreement with Colchester they will be "working towards securing a permanent home for the Women’s team within the Ipswich area”.
In the plans for the training ground submitted at the end of last year and given approval in March, "a show pitch with associated covered seating” was mentioned as a medium to long-term aim.
We understand the club has held talks with Ipswich Wanderers over use of Humber Doucy Lane over the last couple of seasons but as it stands there are no current plans to play games there.
The men’s U21s games at Colchester are likely to be Premier League Cup games with Needham Market’s Bloomfields having staged ties in the previous two years.
It won’t be the first time Town have hosted a match at Colchester with the senior side playing a friendly against Luton at the League Two club’ stadium in pre-season two years ago.