Man United have announced plans to demolish Old Trafford and build a brand new, 100,000-seater stadium.
The new ground will be the centerpiece of a wider regeneration project in Manchester that the club claims could deliver an extra £7.3 billion to the UK economy.
The men’s first team will continue to play at Old Trafford until the new stadium is ready. The full cost of building the ground is estimated to be £2bn.
Designed by architecture group Foster + Partners, the new stadium has the potential to bring “large-scale social and economic benefits to the community and wider region, including the possible creation of 92,000 new jobs, more than 17,000 new homes as well as driving an additional 1.8 million visitors annually”.
Inspired by the Red Devils trident featured in the club’s crest, the stadium will feature three masts, the tallest of which would be 200 metres tall, with the other two reaching 150m, and visible for up to 37.4km. It will also be surrounded by a massive canopy.
Man United to demolish Old Trafford and build new stadium
Man United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe believes the giant ground can be completed within five years, with 2032 determined as the latest possible date for its opening.
“Today marks the start of an incredibly exciting journey to the delivery of what will be the world’s greatest football stadium, at the centre of a regenerated Old Trafford,” Ratcliffe said in a statement released by the club on Tuesday morning.
“Our current stadium has served us brilliantly for the past 115 years, but it has fallen behind the best arenas in world sport. 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.
“Just as important is the opportunity for a new stadium to be the catalyst for social and economic renewal of the Old Trafford area, creating jobs and investment, not just during the construction phase, but on a lasting basis when the stadium district is complete. The Government has identified infrastructure investment as a strategic priority, particularly in the north of England, and we are proud to be supporting that mission with this project of national, as well as local, significance.”
Chief executive Omar Berrada said Man United’s long-term objective is to “have the world’s best football team playing in the world’s best stadium”.
