GROUNDS FOR IMPROVEMENT
Inside the football stadiums of the future with Man Utd’s to be bigger than Wembley by 2030 and League One ‘spaceship’
A League One side is looking to build a £2BILLION stadium
THE "old-school" football stadium is slowly becoming a thing of the past.
From White Hart Lane to Upton Park, some of England's most beloved grounds have been demolished in favour of new builds.
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And we are set to see a flurry of ultra-modern stadiums popping up in the near future.
Several clubs have plans in place to either expand, renovate or completely move their respective homes.
Manchester United, Chelsea and even Birmingham City are among those plotting major investment.
SunSport have looked at the plans of each club, with some set to cost BILLIONS of pounds and with it utterly transform the landscape of English football.
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MAN UTD
United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is hoping to build a state of the art 'Wembley of the North' to replace Old Trafford.
He wants the new stadium to seat 100,000 people - which would make it the biggest football ground in the UK.
The Red Devils took a huge step towards the target earlier this month by entering a strategic partnership with Trafford Council and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.
Officials aim to showcase how a world-class stadium can catalyse wider regeneration and bring social and economic benefits to Trafford Wharfside and the surrounding areas.
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United have looked at similar projects around the world – notably the SoFI stadium in Los Angeles.
An area known as Hollywood Park has been built around the stadium, which houses the 6000-seater YouTube Theater and American Airlines Plaza - both of which have generated even more revenue in the area.
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Man Utd also have plans to keep Old Trafford in some capacity when the move eventually happens.
There is a reluctance to demolish the 114-year-old stadium completely due to the emotional attachment fans have with it.
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What we know about the 'new' Old Trafford
MANCHESTER UNITED plan to build a new stadium rather than redevelop Old Trafford.
The decision was made after a number of fact-finding missions to other stadiums including the Bernabeu and Nou Camp.
The cost of the project is expected to be a staggering £2billion.
A capacity of 100,000 is expected.
It is felt that a club of United’s standing should have a new state-of-the-art facility.
The new stadium will be built on land adjacent to the Red Devils' current home.
United are looking to not only build a stadium but regenerate the area of Trafford where the ground will stand.
They plan to KEEP Old Trafford rather than demolish it, and use it as a second venue.
They will scale it down to a 30,000-seater that can then be used for the women’s team and academy matches.
That would mean the history remains with statues and the Munich clock and memorial plaque all most likely staying in their current positions.
The club consulted with 30,000 fans about what to do and believe there is roughly a 50-50 split on staying or moving.
Old Trafford has been United’s home since 1910.
The target is for completion by 2030.
CHELSEA
The Blues would like to move into a futuristic new stadium if they were to leave Stamford Bridge.
Reports last week suggested they are in talks over a potential move to Earl's Court.
Todd Boehly and Co want to facilitate a bigger stadium, but there are concerns that Chelsea would have to spend up to six years in a temporary home if Stamford Bridge is demolished and rebuilt.
The Blues could take inspiration from Real Madrid's new Santiago Bernabeu if they were to develop a new ground.
Images generated by AI have given fans a look at how the stadium could look, with some appearing similar to Tottenham's five-year-old Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
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EVERTON
Everton are currently in their final season at Goodison Park.
The club's new £760million stadium on Bramley-Moore Dock in Liverpool is nearing completion.
It is expected to open next year, ahead of the 2025-26 campaign.
The new ground will house 52,888 fans and the area surrounding it is set to be modernised with a shopping outlet and houses.
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NEWCASTLE
The Magpies have vowed to make a "once-in-a-generation" investment to rebuild or redevelop St James' Park.
Brad Miller, Newcastle's new chief operating officer, has claimed that news over the long-term plan for an improved home is imminent.
The club's preference is to find a solution that will allow them to modernise and expand St. James’ Park rather than move elsewhere.
But the obstacles they face have been well-documented due to the 52,350-capacity stadium being surrounded by listed buildings.
Therefore, Miller has refused to rule out the possibility of moving to a new location.
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MAN CITY
The reigning Premier League champions are currently in the midst of a £300million expansion.
Scaffolding currently sits around the Etihad Stadium as work continues alongside the 2024-25 campaign.
City plan to increase the capacity by 6,600 seats.
But work is not expected to be completed until late 2026.
The City Group are also adding a 3,000-capacity fan zone, a new club shop, a museum and a 400-bed hotel.
A sky bar and stadium roof walk are among the additional features in the pipeline.
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ASTON VILLA
Villa are also among the clubs set to expand in the near future.
The club received planning permission to completely rebuild the North Stand in 2022 but decided against it last year.
The main concern has been the lack of infrastructure around the stadium and how local areas would cope with the increased capacity.
And former Villa chief Keith Wyness recently suggested transport links are preventing the 10,000-seat expansion.
For now, Aston Villa have pushed on with some minor changes at the ground.
The club have looked at improving the current facilities at Villa Park during the summer break.
Among the changes are the installation of new rail seating, additional seats to increase capacity and new hospitality areas across a range of price points.
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CRYSTAL PALACE
The Eagles recently got the green light to build a state of the art new stand at Selhurst Park.
It will see the 5,300-capacity Main Stand, which was built 100 years ago, knocked down and replaced with a new structure that will house 15,300 fans.
The new development will take the capacity of Selhurst Park from 25,486 to more than 34,000.
KSS Group are overseeing the design and plan to make it a net zero carbon project.
Crystal Palace's new stand will have three tiers and improved access for supporters with disabilities, a new club shop, museum and cafe.
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BIRMINGHAM CITY
Birmingham are planning to build a stunning new stadium that could cost up to £2bn.
Earlier this year Blues majority ownership group, Knighthead, announced they had acquired a 48-acre site within a mile of St Andrew's.
They have since purchased 12 more acres of land and developed plans to create a Sports Quarter that comprises a stadium, training and academy facilities.
Plans for office spaces, restaurants and social hubs for the surrounding community are also in the pipeline.
Co-CEO and Chairman Tom Wagner is hoping to have it completed by the 2029-30 season.
Early indications suggest that the new stadium will have a capacity of 62,000, making it one of the largest in England.
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WREXHAM
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have plans to one day turn the Racecourse Ground into a 55,000-seater stadium.
That is despite Wrexham having a population of just under 45,000.
While specific proposals for a new-look ground are yet to be revealed, a series of images generated by AI have given fans an idea of how the stadium could look.
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In one idea the ground can be seen with a modern-looking glass exterior.
A second image shows off a circular shape, with another giving us a look from the ground level from outside.
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