AFC Wimbledon targeting November 3 clash vs Doncaster as first game at new Plough Lane stadium

AFC Wimbledon are planning to play their first game at their newly-built Plough Lane home on November 3.

The Dons had been hoping to move into their new ground at the start of this season, but construction was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Wimbledon have instead been using QPR’s ground, the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium, but they plan to play their last game there on October 27 before moving back to Plough Lane to face Doncaster on November 3.

Construction on the new Plough Lane is due to be completed on October 25, with things such as connecting the electricity, erecting the floodlights and holding a test event for a behind-closed-doors match due to be done before then.

The test event will include a dry run of a behind-closed-doors match during the week following completion, when Wimbledon will have all our essential backroom staff at the ground and the team will arrive as if they are getting ready to play a game.

If all that goes smoothly, then they hope to be issued their final safety certificates to stage matches behind closed doors.

Even then, the stadium won’t be entirely finished and the Dons don’t expect a formal handover from their construction contractors, Buckingham, until early December as there are a few works that won’t be completely finished by November 3.

Rail seating, for example, won’t be installed until early December.

"Not only will we open the doors on our home, it is also the start of a brand-new era for our club," said chief executive Joe Palmer.

"I would like to relay our gratitude to QPR, who have been very professional and attentive towards us and who have gone out of their way to accommodate our needs."