Sport in Portsmouth

Sport on campus

Sport and fitness facilities

A 125-station gym with free weights, functional equipment, resistance machines and cardio machines
A sports centre with cardio and multi-use studio spaces, boxing bags, treadmills and free weights
Fitness classes, courses and workshops, led by our skilled fitness staff – including cardio cycling, yoga fitness, cardio conditioning and pilates
Indoor sports halls and courts where you can play volleyball, badminton, tennis, squash and more
Outdoor courts and pitches for sports including football, rugby, netball and tennis
Ravelin Sports Centre opening in 2022, will offer an 8 lane swimming pool, 175 station gym, climbing wall and ski simulator

Health, fitness and sport at the University of Portsmouth

Ravelin Sports Centre

From 2022, you'll be able to use our £57 million indoor sports centre. Ravelin will be one of the UK’s greenest sports centres, designed to inspire you to reach your potential and achieve your personal best.

You'll be able to use facilities such as:

the 8-lane 25m swimming pool – with views from the pool of the natural green spaces outside, creating the feeling of open-air swimming in the park
an extensive gym with 175 fitness stations – including top of the range Technogym equipment
3 multi-purpose studios – delivering Les Mills classes
a climbing wall with bouldering facility – rising up through the centre of the building, from basement to roof
a virtual ski simulator
sauna and steam rooms
café and social spaces – including a community orchard and wildflower amphitheatre

Find out more

Purple Ticket discount for students and staff

As part of the partnership, staff and students at the University can watch Pompey in action at Fratton Park for a discounted price of £16.

To book, first register with the Pompey e-ticket site then, once logged in, click on this link to access the £16 discounted University of Portsmouth tickets. Once you’ve selected your seat in your match of choice, scroll down the Price Class Options to find the University of Portsmouth ticket.

And remember to take proof of University I.D. with you to the match for spot checks at the turnstiles.

University sports leagues

You can pit yourself against other students and staff teams in our campus leagues, including 5-a-side football, badminton and tennis.

Taking part in our leagues is a great way to stay fit and healthy while playing a sport you love, without the commitment. You can play with your friends, course mates or make new friends. The winners of our leagues get the chance to compete in Varsity against Southampton University in the Intra Cup.

PLAY sessions

Looking for something casual, fun and sociable without the commitment?

Our PLAY sessions offer the flexibility for you to get involved whilst not interfering with your studies and other commitments. Even if you're a member of our sports clubs or you're involved in campus sport leagues, you can still book onto PLAY sessions whenever you feel like it.

Campus sport

If you're looking for something slightly more competitive, but still without the BUCS commitment then Campus sport is your opportunity to get involved in sport socially. You can play in leagues and tournaments against other students within the university. Play with flatmates, housemates or course mates, get your team and get involved.

Varsity

Every year our sports teams compete against their opposite numbers at the University of Southampton across more than 50 competitive fixtures in the Varsity Cup.

Students from both universities converge for a day of sports, uni spirit and healthy neighbourhood rivalry. Whether you're competing, spectating or tagging along for the official after-party, it's one of the biggest events of the year.

Boxing Society Fight Night

The Boxing Society hosts a series of boxing nights fully affiliated and licensed with England Boxing, featuring men's and women's bouts.

The society's events team transforms the venue into a professional-style boxing arena with all the hype and pomp you'd expect in a pro match, including a pop-up bar. With sell-out crowds of up to 400 people, the nights are always a popular drawcard among students.

Sports clubs

We have lots of sports clubs and societies you can join – the list here is a snapshot. If you don't find something you're interested in, you can set up your own club or society.

Freshers' Fair is a great place to meet club reps and find out more about teams. Or you could go to a club social to get to know your team mates better. Many club socials take place on our official student night – Purple Wednesdays.

Fancy a taster before committing to a sports club? Our Give Me Sport weekend gives you the chance to try over 35 sports over 4 days.

If you're new to sport, our clubs offer full equipment and support in every session, and are a great opportunity to socialise.

Here are some of the sports clubs you can join at Portsmouth:

American football
Archery
Basketball
Boxing
Break dancing
Cheerleading
Cricket
Cuban Salsa Society
Cycling
Fencing
Football
Mountaineering and climbing
Netball
Polo
Powerlifting
Rowing
Sailing
Scuba diving
Taekwondo
Ultimate frisbee
Volleyball

Our previous Sports Scholars

Lauren Steadman, Para-Triathlete – 4x paralympian (competing at London 2012, winning silver at Rio 2016 and Gold at Tokyo 2020), triple world champion and 6 time European champion in para-triathlon
Ben Khor, Double Trap Shooter – Delhi 2008 Commonwealth Games Bronze Medallist
Holly Jane Myers, Rugby Union Player – England Rugby Union and Rugby League International

Sports Scholarship Scheme

If you compete at regional or international level, you could get funding worth between £250 and £3,000 from our Sports Scholarship Scheme. Around 20 students a year receive this scholarship, regardless of nationality, year of study or academic course.

The scholarship aims to help you balance your competing and training with your studies.

If you receive a sports scholarship, you'll get free access to:

1-to-1 Strength and conditioning sessions
Expert sports nutrition advice
Free gym membership and access to facilities
Free physio and sports massage
Media promotion and experience
Expert sports psychology advice
BUCS affiliation for your sports club
Regular 1-to-1 mentoring
Academic support and flexibility
Lifestyle support
University of Portsmouth branded sports kit

You can apply before you join us – visit our Sports Scholarship Scheme page to find out more.

One of our Sports Scholars, Lauren Steadman, gained a first class BSc (Hons) Psychology degree from us in 2014 and a distinction in her MSc in Business and Management in 2017. All while training as a para-triathlete.

Sport around Portsmouth

You'll have lots of opportunities to get active when you live in Portsmouth. We've got the sea and national parks on our doorstep, and several sports centres across the city.

Portsmouth's ready to welcome you

Things are getting back to normal in the city, but some places still have their own covid restrictions. So it's best to check directly with businesses to confirm what activities and services are available.