West Ham face venue change for Premier League because of World Athletics Championships

West Ham may have to play their first three matches of the Premier League season away from home.

The club have confirmed their second fixture, scheduled to be at home to Southampton, will have to be rearranged because of the World Athletics Championships being held at the London Stadium.

The event takes place between August 5 and 13, so the stadium will not be back in ‘football mode’ in time for the Saints game on August 19.
The fixture could be reversed, meaning the Hammers would face three games on the road at the start of their campaign.

That means a possible scenario of the August fixture being swapped with the corresponding away fixture at Southampton on March 31.
„Our opening fixtures in August will be played away from home as London Stadium welcomes the 2017 IAAF World Athletics Championships for a once-in-a-generation occasion,“ the club said.

„Supporters are therefore advised that our second fixture of the campaign, against Southampton, will be rescheduled, with further details to follow.“

West Ham’s first match, on Saturday, August 12, is away to Manchester United and the third, on Saturday 26, is a trip to Newcastle.

Their first home fixture will therefore be the visit of newly-promoted Huddersfield on Saturday, September 9.