Watford Women will play their 2026/27 home games at Vicarage Road - and being able to call the club's stadium home makes a "massive difference" to their chances, according to head coach Renee Hector and midfielder Poppy Wilson.
The Golden Girls return to WD18 for their WSL 2 opener against Burnley on Friday night, four months on from lifting the FA Women's National League South title there at the end of April.
It has since been announced that Renee Hector's side will play every home game at the Vic this season, which Hector views as a huge advantage.
She said: "It makes a massive difference. I could tell from the looks on the players' faces when they found out.
"Vicarage Road gives us an extra 1%. The surface suits us, it's immaculate, but we're also to draw a bigger crowd.
"We've had a really close relationship with our fans over the years and they're super loud. That always helps us, whether we're doing well or we might be struggling.
"They're always there, giving us that boost, and not just the players. The coaching staff as well.
"It's a massive plus for us and we're really grateful to be there."
Midfielder Poppy Wilson, who has been with the club for four years, is equally as energised by playing in the heart of the town centre, rather in temporary homes like Kings Langley or Uxbridge.
She said: "The surface definitely suits our style of play. We can be really expansive and get at teams.
"It's nice for us to have a home for each game and try to get fans in consistently.
"I think that's something we've struggled with, only having a few fixtures there, so it's super exciting now and hopefully we can get a good start against Burnley."
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