KSS showcase their latest project completion at the London Open House Festival

On Saturday, we opened Selhurst Sports Arena, the headquarters of #MerkyFC, in the London borough of Croydon, in partnership with adidas for this year's London Open House Festival. 

This marks KSS’s first participation in the festival, providing an excellent opportunity to showcase our work and welcome the local communities of Croydon and London to the arena. Open House is a citywide festival honouring London’s architecture, distinctive locations, and neighbourhoods, spanning all 33 boroughs.

Throughout the day, KSS project team members Nick Marshall and Esther Peyrovi led guided tours, offering insights into the building’s architectural elements and transformation from an underutilised football pitch and dilapidated changing facilities into a state-of-the-art 500 sqm facility.

The new #MerkyFC HQ, located in Stormzy’s hometown and opened in May 2024, features a full-size 3G football pitch, contemporary changing rooms, a sports gaming hub, advanced recording equipment for podcasts and local artists, adaptable multi-purpose rooms—an educational area, a versatile studio, a fully equipped kitchen, and restrooms.

*Ayo Oluyede, who joined KSS in 2023 as part of the #MerkyFC career programme initiative, was on hand to answer any questions.

We had the perfect day, with blue skies and sunshine!  All participants enthusiastically responded to the tours and we eagerly anticipate the opportunity to participate in the 2025 Open House Festival.

*The #Merky FC initiative is built on two pillars. The first is a careers programme that aims to revolutionise the football industry, focusing on jobs in football off the pitch. It specifically addresses the underrepresentation of individuals with Black Heritage in football leadership positions, which currently stands at only 6.7%. The second pillar is a place to call home for #MerkyFC, where football and the culture born from it come to life.

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Selhurst Sports Arena