An upcoming friendly between Reading and Charlton Athletic has been forced to move stadiums due to pitch conditions.The pre-season fixture between the two EFL sides was set to take place at the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Saturday.Reading have had to move their friendly away from their stadium due to the pitchGettyHowever, Reading released a statement on Thursday revealing that their new pitch is not developed enough to host a match.And therefore, the club have decided not to play the game at the ground, instead moving it to The Valley, Charlton‘s stadium.The Royals wrote: “Following a period of unusually hot and dry weather during the growth of the Club’s newly laid playing surface, it has become clear that the pitch is not yet sufficiently developed to host the fixture.“While the pitch continues to progress, the recent weather conditions have slowed its development, meaning it is not where we need it to be at this stage. “The Club has therefore taken the decision to protect the surface ahead of the start of the 2026/27 League One season, giving it the best possible opportunity to fully establish, with our focus firmly on ensuring the pitch is in the best possible condition when we welcome Luton Town for the start of the League One campaign.”All supporters who had bought a ticket for the match will receive a full refund due to the change.And the match, which remains on Saturday, will now be played behind closed doors at The Valley.Kick-off is still scheduled for 2pm despite the switch, while Charlton will be streaming the action live for free.‘We’re sincerely sorry’Reading’s Co-Chief Executive Officer, Joe Jacobson, has sent a message to supporters to explain the late change.And he apologised to all fans after making the tough decision to protect the pitch for the League One season.The friendly is now going to be played at The Valley in front of no fansGettyJacobson said: “This is not a decision anyone at the Club wanted to make, but it is the right one.“We’ve invested significantly in providing the team with the best possible playing surface for the season ahead. “Unfortunately, the recent spell of hot and dry weather has slowed the development of the new pitch and, after taking expert advice, we’ve concluded that protecting it now gives us the best chance of having it in the condition we all want for the start of the League One campaign.“We know this will be disappointing for supporters who were looking forward to returning to the Select Car Leasing Stadium, and we’re sincerely sorry for the inconvenience this causes. “While we understand the frustration, our responsibility is to make decisions that are in the long-term interests of the football club, and this is one of those occasions.“We’re grateful to Charlton Athletic for their understanding, cooperation and support in helping us rearrange the fixture.“We also thank our supporters for their patience and continued backing, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to the Select Car Leasing Stadium when we begin our League One campaign against Luton Town.”Reading’s meeting with Luton will take place on August 15, while Charlton begin their Championship season against Derby County on the same day.