Commercial Projects

New Manchester United Stadium Unveiled

The new stadium is designed to be a 100,000-capacity modern landmark.

Updated on

May 1, 2025

New Manchester United stadium. — A rendering of the proposed new Manchester United stadium. (Photo: Courtesy)

Manchester United FC has confirmed its plans to build a 100,000-capacity stadium next to Old Trafford in Greater Manchester, marking the biggest change in the club’s history.

The project, spearheaded by the renowned architects Foster + Partners, is part of a larger plan to improve the area, which could significantly impact the region’s economy and society.

In a major statement of intent, the club recently confirmed that the new Manchester United stadium will serve as a cutting-edge home for United and a centrepiece of a wider regeneration project, expected to inject $9.4 billion into the UK economy annually.

The initiative could create 92,000 jobs and attract 1.8 million visitors annually.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, United’s co-owner, called the plans “a truly state-of-the-art stadium” and “a catalyst for social and economic renewal of the Old Trafford area.”

“Our current stadium has served us brilliantly for the past 115 years,” said Ratcliffe, “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.”

While government funding will be sought for the broader regeneration scheme, Ratcliffe clarified that the construction of the stadium itself will be privately financed.

The conceptual designs, unveiled in March, offer a bold vision for a sustainable, accessible, and fan-centred venue.

This will be the club’s biggest change. (Photo: Courtesy)

Lord Norman Foster, whose firm is designing the new Manchester United stadium, described it as “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.”

He added: “The stadium is contained by a vast umbrella, harvesting energy and rainwater, and sheltering a new public plaza twice the size of Trafalgar Square… It is a mixed-use miniature city of the future – and a global destination that Mancunians can be proud of.”

United CEO Omar Berrada highlighted the club’s commitment to inclusivity and consultation: “We have carefully considered the findings of the Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force, together with the views of thousands of fans and residents, and concluded that a new Manchester United stadium is the right way forward… We will now embark on further consultation to ensure that fans and residents are heard.”

The project has attracted praise from several key figures. Sir Alex Ferguson remarked, “Manchester United should always strive for the best… we must be brave and seize this opportunity to build a new home, fit for the future, where new history can be made.”

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham hailed the vision: “If we get this right, the regeneration impact could be bigger and better than London 2012… United could, and indeed should, have the best football stadium in the world.”

With the backing of civic leaders, architects, and the club’s hierarchy, the new Manchester United stadium project marks a pivotal moment for Manchester United – one that may not only redefine a football ground but reshape an entire community.