Manchester United Planning to Build a Stadium, a source in ESPN revealed that “Manchester United are aiming to construct a 100,000-capacity stadium within the next six years,” the club is currently considering the options of constructing a new stadium or refurbishing Old Trafford and it aims at arriving at the final decision before the end of the year.
The project is expected to cost more than £2 billion ($2. 6 billion), Manchester United is aiming at developing a stadium with a seating capacity of between 90, 000-100,000 in the year 2030. Main shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe has stated that he favors building a new stadium in the same location, perhaps in the area behind the Stretford End.
While plans are still in development, club officials have drawn inspiration from various international projects, especially SoFi Stadium and the associated regeneration efforts near Los Angeles. United recently played Arsenal at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood as part of their preseason tour in the United States, and sources informed ESPN that club executives have visited L.A. multiple times in recent years.
Former United striker Andy Cole, who was present in L.A. for the match against Arsenal, stated, “Manchester United fans and everyone in the north of England deserve a truly world-class stadium, and SoFi set the standard to aim for. I don’t make this comparison lightly, but there’s a similar opportunity back home in Manchester. A new or redeveloped stadium at Old Trafford could serve as a catalyst for revitalizing the surrounding area.”
Sources also told ESPN that United officials have visited the revamped Bernabéu in Madrid and spent time at Wembley and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, as well as monitoring the Chicago Bears Burnham Park project.
Since becoming co-owner in February, Ratcliffe has prioritized the stadium project. In March, a joint task force, including Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and former United captain Gary Neville, was established to explore the options.
Speaking at a fans’ forum earlier this month, COO Collette Roche said, “The task force is making good progress in exploring the possibilities for a new or redeveloped stadium at the center of a wider regeneration.”
Roche also assured fans that they would be consulted before any decision is made regarding the potential sale of naming rights for the new venue, but acknowledged that “all options” for funding the project would be considered, including a private-public partnership.