Manchester United is Planning to Construct 100,000- Seat Stadium

English club Manchester United plans to build a new stadium with a capacity of 100,000 by 2030. The final decision on whether to construct a new stadium or renovate Old Trafford decisions will be made by the end of the year. The new stadium could cost around £2 billion ($2.6 billion), and is targeted to accommodate 90,000 to 100,000 spectators. 

Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has supported the idea of constructing a new stadium on the current site and its on the land behind the Stretford End.While plans are still being finalized, club officials are drawing inspiration from various global projects, especially from SoFi Stadium and its surrounding redevelopment near Los Angeles, according to ESPN. 

During their pre-season tour in the USA, Manchester United played against Arsenal at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Saturday. Sources informed ESPN that club executives have visited Los Angeles multiple times in recent years. 

Foreigner United striker Andy Cole, who was also the part of the group in L.A for the match against Arsenal, said  “Manchester United fans and everyone in the north of England deserves a truly world-class stadium, and SoFi set the standard to aim for,” former United striker Andy Cole, who was part of the detachment in LA, was quoted as saying by ESPN. 

“I don’t draw this comparison lightly, but you can see a parallel with the opportunity back home in Manchester. A new or redeveloped stadium at Old Trafford could be the focal point for the revitalization of the surrounding area,” he added.    

The United management also visited the renovated Bernabéu in Madrid and spent time at Wembley and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, in addition to tracking the Chicago Bears’ Burnham Park project, according to the report.

Since obtaining the ownership of the club in February, Ratcliffe has given importance to the stadium project. A joint task force was appointed in March to explore various options, including input from Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and former United captain Gary Neville. 

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 stated that “all options” for funding the project would be considered, but he also gave hope that fans would be suggested before any decisions are made about potentially selling the naming rights to the new facility. The task force will find out all available financing possibilities, including public private partnerships.