Bath’s scheduled matches against Harlequins on 15 May and Saracens on 5 June will be moved. If Bath reaches the Premiership semi‑finals and secures a home tie next June, that fixture would also be played away from the Rec. The club’s owners say the plans are accelerated to finish redevelopment by the start of the 2028‑29 Premiership season.

Reading’s final home game of the upcoming season is against Sheffield Wednesday on 1 May. They would host another match that month if they reach the League One play‑offs. Their ground has hosted rugby before, being home to London Irish between 2000 and 2020.

Couhig highlighted changes at the SCL Stadium this summer, including new stands and a new pitch, as factors that make a possible agreement with Bath feasible. “This pitch is built in a way that it could handle that and recover very quickly from rugby,” Couhig said. “Our football team is the first priority tenant and we would make sure it is handled the right way.” He added that any money generated would be reinvested in the football team. “Let’s say we did something with Bath Rugby, then we’d be allowed additional money under the SCMP to spend on our football players,” he said.