Manchester United has announced plans to demolish Old Trafford and construct a new stadium with a seating capacity of 100,000 on the current site.
The estimated cost for the new stadium is approximately £2 billion, and it will serve as a focal point for the revitalization of the Old Trafford area.
The club anticipates that the stadium, along with the broader regeneration initiative, will contribute an additional £7.3 billion annually to the UK economy, aligning with the Government’s growth strategy.
It is projected that the new stadium project will generate up to 92,000 jobs and create over 17,000 new homes, while also drawing an extra 1.8 million visitors each year.
Today, United revealed images and scaled models of the proposed stadium and its surroundings, designed by the architectural firm Foster + Partners, which has been selected to develop the stadium district.
The forthcoming phase of the project will involve detailed feasibility studies, consultations, design work, and planning as this ambitious endeavor progresses.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, co-owner of United, said: “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.
“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.”
Omar Berrada, chief executive of United, said: “Our long-term objective as a club is to have the world’s best football team playing in the world’s best stadium.
“We are grateful for the feasibility work done by the Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force exploring options for the future of Old Trafford. We have carefully considered its findings, together with the views of thousands of fans and local residents, and concluded that a new stadium is the right way forward for Manchester United and our surrounding community.
“We will now embark on further consultation to ensure that fans and residents continue to be heard as we move towards final decisions.”
Former United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, who enjoyed an unprecedented era of success at Old Trafford, backed the plan for a new stadium and said: “Manchester United should always strive for the best in everything it does, on and off the pitch, and that includes the stadium we play in.
“Old Trafford holds so many special memories for me, but we must be brave and seize this opportunity to build a new home, fit for the future, where new history can be made.”
Lord Norman Foster, Founder and Executive Chairman of Foster + Partners, said: “This has to be one of the most exciting projects in the world today, with incredible regional and national significance.
“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.
“The outward-looking stadium will be the beating heart of a new sustainable district, which is completely walkable, served by public transport, and endowed by nature. It is a mixed-use miniature city of the future – driving a new wave of growth and creating a global destination that Mancunians can be proud of.”
Lord Sebastian Coe, the chair of the Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force, stated: “Today signifies a significant advancement in what I strongly believe has the potential to become the largest and most thrilling urban regeneration initiative in the UK since the 2012 London Olympics.”
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