Manchester United to leave Old Trafford to new 1-lakh seater stadium
A proposed 100,000-seater arena would surpass Wembley as the biggest in the United Kingdom.
A computer generated image of the proposed new Manchester United stadium
LONDON: Manchester United unveiled plans on Tuesday to build the “world’s greatest” soccer stadium.
A proposed 100,000-seater arena would surpass Wembley as the biggest in the United Kingdom.
Under the plans, the 20-time English champion said it would build next to its iconic Old Trafford ground, likely meaning it would not need to relocate during the construction process.
“Our current stadium has served us brilliantly for the past 115 years, but it has fallen behind the best arenas in world sport,” part owner Jim Ratcliffe said. “By building next to the existing site, we will be able to preserve the essence of Old Trafford, while creating a truly state-of-the-art stadium that transforms the fan experience only footsteps from our historic home.”
United did not say how much the stadium would cost or reveal a timeline for its completion, but architect Norman Foster said building work would take five years.
British billionaire Ratcliffe paid 1.3 billion dollars for an initial 25% stake in United last year and made a new stadium one of his priorities.
The possibility of redeveloping Old Trafford, one of the most iconic stadiums in soccer, was considered but an entirely new construction was the preferred option.
“Today marks the start of an incredibly exciting journey to the delivery of what will be the world’s greatest football stadium,” Ratcliffe said.
United wants the venue to be part of a wider project to regenerate the surrounding Old Trafford area, which it said would be worth 7.3 billion pounds to the UK economy. The UK government has already voiced its support for the project, although the specifics of how it would be funded are not known.
Wembley is currently the biggest stadium in the UK, with a capacity of 90,000, and is home to England’s national soccer team.
Old Trafford is the country’s biggest dedicated soccer stadium with a capacity of just over 74,000, but is dated in comparison to the likes of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, which regularly hosts NFL games.
