Is there a professional football club in Durham?

Yes. Durham Women FC play in the FA Women's Championship, the second tier of English women's football, with home matches at Maiden Castle on Stockton Road. Matchdays are affordable and family-friendly.

Where can I watch football in Durham?

Durham Women FC's home games at Maiden Castle are the main draw for watching competitive football in the city, alongside university and college fixtures. Durham City AFC, the traditional men's non-league club, has recently played its home games out of the city at Houghton-le-Spring, so check the club for current venues.

How can my child play football in Durham?

Grassroots clubs such as Durham Cestria and Durham United field junior teams at Maiden Castle and across the city, and Durham Women FC runs Emerging Talent Centres for younger age groups. Local clubs welcome new players and volunteers each season.

Sports

Football in Durham: Clubs, Teams and Where to Watch

Durham punches above its weight in football, with a professional women's side, university teams and grassroots clubs. A guide to the local game and how to get involved.

durhamcity.live·10 September 2026

For a small city, Durham has a surprisingly rich football scene, and it is one where the women's game leads the way. From a professional side in the national pyramid to university teams and grassroots clubs, there is football to watch and to play at every level. Here is our guide to football in Durham and how to get involved.

Durham Women FC

The city's flagship club is Durham Women FC, who play in the FA Women's Championship, the second tier of English women's football. Founded in 2014 with Durham University and the South Durham & Cestria girls' set-up, the club has become an established force and a real point of civic pride, playing home matches at Maiden Castle on Stockton Road. Matchdays are affordable and family-friendly, making them one of the best-value sporting days out in the city.

Best for: Best for: watching high-level women's football on the doorstep.

University and college football

Durham University fields a large number of football teams, with Maiden Castle as the hub of university sport, and the colleges run their own competitive leagues too. It all adds up to a huge amount of football played in and around the city through the academic year.

Best for: Best for: the competitive buzz of the university game.

Grassroots and junior football

Grassroots football thrives at Maiden Castle and across the city's parks and school pitches, with clubs such as Durham Cestria and Durham United fielding teams across the age groups. For children wanting to start, local grassroots clubs and the Emerging Talent Centres run by Durham Women FC are the way in, welcoming new players and volunteers each season.

Best for: Best for: getting children into the grassroots game.

The wider picture

Durham City AFC, the city's traditional men's non-league club, has in recent years played its home games out of the city at Houghton-le-Spring, so check the club directly for current fixtures and venue. Between the professional, university and grassroots game, though, there is plenty of football to enjoy within Durham itself. For more, see our guide to sport and fitness in Durham.

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