Manchester United reveal ‘£2bn’ stadium plans

Manchester United have announced its plans to build a new 100,000-seater stadium close to Old Trafford.

The club hopes the £2bn project, described as the “world’s greatest football stadium” by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, will be completed in five years.

The decision to build a new ground, rather than redevelop Old Trafford, follows an extensive consultation. Architects Foster and Partners, who also designed the new Wembley Stadium and Lusail Stadium, will design the new stadium, featuring an umbrella design and a public plaza twice the size of Trafalgar Square.

The project is part of a wider regeneration of the Old Trafford area, predicted to be the biggest in the UK since the 2012 London Olympics, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves providing government backing. United say the project could create 92,000 jobs, 17,000 homes, and bring 1.8 million extra visitors annually, adding £7.3bn per year to the UK economy.

Criticism of Old Trafford, England’s biggest club ground with a 74,140 capacity, has grown recently due to issues like roof leaks. The stadium has not had significant development since 2006.

United, which have played at Old Trafford since 1910, consulted on stadium developments like the SoFi Stadium and Bernabeu rebuild and conducted fan surveys ahead of revealing the plans.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Co-owner, Manchester United, said, “Today marks the start of an incredibly exciting journey to the delivery of what will be the world’s greatest stadium. Our current stadium has served us brilliantly for the past 115 years but it has fallen behind the arenas in world sport. I think we may well finish up with the most iconic football stadium in the world.”

Lord Norman Foster, Executive Chairman, Foster and Partners, said, “This has to be one of the most exciting projects in the world today. It all starts with the fans’ experience, bringing them closer than ever to the pitch and acoustically cultivating a huge roar. The stadium is contained by a vast umbrella, harvesting energy and rainwater, and sheltering a new public plaza that is twice the size of Trafalgar Square.”