You know that feeling when you haven’t seen a relative in ten years, and then you’re suddenly shoved into a small room with them at Christmas? That’s basically the vibe whenever Southampton FC vs Portsmouth pops up on the fixture list. It is awkward. It is loud. And honestly, it is usually a bit of a mess.
People talk about the North London Derby or the Old Firm, but those happen all the time. They’re predictable. The South Coast Derby is different because it’s rare. These two teams spend so much time in different divisions that when they finally meet, the entire county of Hampshire basically holds its breath. Or screams. Mostly screams.
The 2025/26 Season: Back on the Map
We’re currently in the middle of a massive season for this rivalry. After years of Portsmouth climbing back from the brink of financial collapse and Southampton sliding down from the Premier League, they finally landed in the same spot: the Championship.
The first meeting of this season happened on September 14, 2025. I’ll be honest with you—it wasn't a classic. A 0-0 draw at St Mary’s that felt more like a cagey chess match than a blood-and-thunder derby. Southampton manager Will Still looked frustrated on the touchline, and summer signing Finn Azaz really struggled with the physicality of the game. He only won one of his eight duels. That’s the thing about this fixture; it doesn't care how much you cost or how good your "expected goals" are. If you don't show up for the fight, you’re invisible.
But the real story right now is the upcoming rematch. Mark your calendars for January 25, 2026. That’s when the circus heads to Fratton Park. If you’ve never been to Fratton Park for a derby, imagine a tin of sardines where half the sardines are wearing blue and they’re all very, very angry at the other sardines.
The Numbers That Actually Matter
If you look at the all-time "First Class" record, Southampton has the upper hand.
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- Total Meetings: 72
- Southampton Wins: 35
- Portsmouth Wins: 21
- Draws: 16
Saints fans love to bring these stats up. Portsmouth fans, meanwhile, will remind you they have two top-flight league titles (1949 and 1950) and two FA Cups (1939 and 2008). Southampton has one FA Cup from 1976. It’s the classic "history vs. recent dominance" argument that keeps pubs in Fareham and Gosport in business.
Why Do They Hate Each Other So Much?
It’s about more than just football. It’s about dockworkers and sailors.
The nicknames tell the whole story. You’ve got the "Skates" and the "Scummers." Portsmouth is a Navy town—rough, ready, and fiercely proud. Southampton is the merchant port—wealthier, "cleaner," and, in the eyes of Pompey fans, a bit arrogant.
Legend has it the term "Scummer" comes from a 19th-century strike. The story goes that Southampton dockers broke a strike while Portsmouth men held the line. Is it true? Who knows. Does it matter? Not to a guy sitting in the Fratton End in the pouring rain. To him, it’s gospel.
The rivalry is weird because for long stretches, it didn’t exist. Between 1927 and 1960, they barely played. They were like two ships passing in the night—one up, one down. It wasn't until the 1970s that the hatred really crystallized into the modern version we see today.
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Memorable (and Painful) Moments
Ask a Saints fan about 2019. They’ll tell you about the 4-0 demolition at Fratton Park in the League Cup. Danny Ings scoring twice. The away end going mental. It was the first time they’d played in seven years, and Southampton acted like they were making up for lost time.
Ask a Pompey fan about 2010. That was the 4-1 FA Cup win at St Mary’s. Portsmouth was literally falling apart at the time—going into administration, players not getting paid—and they still went to their rivals' backyard and embarrassed them. That’s the magic of this game. Logic goes out the window.
The Women’s Game is Taking Over
We can't talk about Southampton FC vs Portsmouth in 2026 without mentioning the women’s teams. On January 11, 2026, the Southampton FC Women beat Portsmouth 4-0 at St Mary’s.
It wasn't just the scoreline; it was the atmosphere. They pulled in a record crowd of 7,561 fans. Jess Simpson opened the scoring, but the loudest cheer of the day was for Rachel Brown. She came on in the 88th minute after a brutal year out with an ACL injury. It was one of those rare moments in a derby where the rivalry felt secondary to the human story. Well, for about five minutes, then everyone went back to shouting.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception is that this is just another regional rivalry like Brighton vs. Palace. It isn't. Brighton and Palace is a manufactured "M23 derby." Southampton and Portsmouth is a geographical necessity. They are 19 miles apart. They share the same hospitals, the same radio stations, and the same stretch of the M27.
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They also tend to share managers, which usually ends in disaster. Look at Harry Redknapp. He won the FA Cup with Portsmouth, went to Southampton, got them relegated, and then went back to Portsmouth. He is the only man who could probably get a police escort in both cities for entirely different reasons.
Actionable Insights for the January 25th Rematch
If you’re planning on following the next chapter of this chaos, here is the ground truth.
- Watch the Midfield Battle: In the 0-0 draw in September, the game was lost in the middle. Southampton tried to play pretty triangles; Portsmouth just ran through them. If Southampton hasn't toughened up by late January, Fratton Park will swallow them whole.
- The "Still" Factor: Will Still is a brilliant tactical mind, but he’s still learning what the South Coast Derby means. He can't afford to be "disappointed" with the performance this time. He needs to be aggressive.
- Ticket Scarcity: These tickets are gold dust. If you aren't a season ticket holder or have a massive amount of loyalty points, you’re watching this in the pub.
- Travel Warning: If you are traveling between the two cities on match day, expect the M27 to be a nightmare and the trains to be even worse. The police presence for this is usually the largest in the region for the entire year.
The January 25th game kicks off at 12:00 UTC. It’s being televised, which is great for the neutrals but stressful for the locals. Portsmouth hasn't beaten Southampton in a competitive match since that 2010 FA Cup game. That is 16 years of hurt brewing in a very small coastal city.
Whether it's a 4-0 blowout or another 0-0 stalemate, the South Coast Derby remains the most underrated, visceral, and genuinely strange rivalry in English football. It doesn't need to be in the Premier League to matter. It matters because of the 19 miles of road between them and over a century of maritime grudges that show no sign of sinking.
Check the local lineups 48 hours before kickoff. If the "old guard" players who understand the derby aren't starting, expect a repeat of the subdued September draw. But if the local lads get the nod, get ready for fireworks.