AFC Bournemouth Places Fan Feedback at the Centre of 2026/27 Engagement Strategy.

Roger Hampel

Image: AFC Bournemouth

AFC Bournemouth has published its 2026/27 Fan Engagement Plan, setting out a more structured approach to supporter consultation as the Premier League club enters what it describes as a pivotal period of growth.

The plan centres on three priorities for the coming season: increasing the visibility and transparency of fan engagement, demonstrating how supporter feedback influences club projects, and strengthening representation and collaboration between supporter groups.

It builds on more than 35 individual fan engagement meetings held during 2025/26, all of which included at least one member of Bournemouth's senior management team. The club's Nominated Board Level Official attended more than half of those meetings.

Fan Consultation Moves Closer to Club Strategy Bournemouth

Bournemouth's approach extends across a network of supporter bodies covering strategy, matchday experience, equality, accessibility, younger supporters and other areas.

At the top of that structure sits the Fan Advisory Board (FAB), established in 2023 to provide strategic input on major long-term issues. Its remit includes heritage assets, facility redevelopment, departmental strategies and the wider development of the club's brand and image.

The distinction is important. The FAB is designed to advise on strategic questions, not the day-to-day running of the football club.

That gives supporter representation a potential role in areas that can have significant long-term commercial and operational consequences, particularly as Bournemouth develops its infrastructure.

Among the principal consultation topics during 2025/26 were ticketing, stadium redevelopment and operations, matchday experience, atmosphere, EDI and the experience of women attending men's and women's matches.

Stadium Development Included in Supporter Consultation

The timing of the new plan is particularly relevant to Bournemouth's wider development.

The club explicitly describes 2026/27 as a pivotal period of growth and says supporters should remain involved as that expansion progresses. Fan groups will be consulted on club strategy, priority areas and key objectives, while meeting summaries will be made available to the wider supporter base.

Stadium redevelopment was already among the subjects discussed with supporters last season.

The Junior Cherries Working Group has also contributed ideas connected with the stadium redevelopment project, alongside feedback on Bournemouth's website and app, matchday entertainment, membership products and the Junior Fanzone.

Bournemouth Reports Improvement in Supporter Sentiment

The 2025/26 review provides several indicators of how supporters currently view the club.

According to Bournemouth's survey data, 97% of supporters said they believe the club is well-run.

The club also recorded a seven percentage-point increase in supporters who believe Bournemouth performs well on openness and transparency, alongside an eight percentage-point increase in those rating communication from the Chair or CEO as good or very good.

Independent Review Identifies Areas for Improvement

Bournemouth also commissioned an independent assessment of its Fan Advisory Board from Dr Payam Ansari, Lecturer in Sport and Event Management at Bournemouth University.

The assessment recommended assigning strategic objectives to individual FAB members, introducing a structured induction programme and improving the way the group communicates the impact of supporter feedback.

Bournemouth plans to introduce an induction day for new and existing members, improve the fan engagement section of its website and create more opportunities to collect feedback from the wider supporter base.

The FAB survey showed strong scores around representation and senior management involvement. 100% of FAB respondents considered the group's balance of skills and knowledge appropriate, while 80% felt it could communicate effectively with the wider fan base.

Young Supporters Become Part of the Decision-Making Process

One of the more developed elements of Bournemouth's structure is its work with younger supporters.

The Junior Cherries Working Group, introduced in September 2024, brings together up to 20 young supporters to discuss their experience of the club.

Over its first two seasons, the group met five times and contributed feedback on stadium safety, membership, Bournemouth's website and app, the Junior Fanzone and matchday entertainment. The club says that feedback has already influenced its new digital platforms and elements of the Junior Fanzone redesign.

According to Bournemouth, 100% of Junior Cherries surveyed after taking part said they felt more connected to the club.