Manchester United announced plans for a brand new stadium on March 11, 2025 — one that, according to minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, will become the greatest in the world.
The club has spent much of the past two years exploring possible ways either to expand and improve the facilities at its famous Old Trafford home or to build a new arena in the same area.
A task force was implemented to find the best option and, after consultations with fan groups and local residents, the recommendation was for a new stadium at the heart of a revitalised area of the Salford Quays, described as “a mixed-use miniature city of the future”.
The Sporting News runs through the concept plans and when the venue might be ready to stage matches for the first time.
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Man United new stadium plans
United plan to build a new stadium adjacent to Old Trafford. The intention is for the area to become a significant tourist destination for the north of England, rather than just a place where the team plays matches.
In a statement announcing the plans, Ratcliffe 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.”
How big will Man United’s new stadium be?
The intention is for the new arena to have a capacity of 100,000 spectators, which would make it the largest football stadium in England. It will only be marginally smaller than the revamped Camp Nou, which Barcelona says will hold 105,000 matchgoing fans.
The hope is that the new venue can also stage UEFA Champions League finals and other one-off events.
Ratcliffe told reporters: “I think the UK needs a stadium of that presence in the north of England and this is the best place to build it. At the end of the day, it will also help Manchester United.”
Man United new stadium design
Concept art for the new stadium and the surrounding “miniature city” was released on March 11, 2025 by Foster + Partners, the architectural group tasked with designing United’s new home.
The plan is to construct the new arena on the land to the southwest of Old Trafford and make it the heart of the regenerated area, which will be “completely walkable” and serviced by public transport.
The stadium design includes three towers, inspired by the trident wielded by the club’s Red Devil emblem, and will be contained beneath “a vast umbrella, harvesting energy and rainwater, and sheltering a new public plaza that is twice the size of Trafalgar Square”.
United believe the project will inject over £7 billion annually to the UK economy and help to create thousands of new homes — a key pillar of the Labour party’s plans as it came to power in 2024 and likely one key reason why prime minister Keir Starmer’s government is backing the proposal.
The club said: “The stadium, and wider regeneration project, have the potential to deliver an additional £7.3bn per year to the UK economy which brings 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.”
When will United’s new stadium open?
At present, there is no specific time frame for the new stadium, as it must now enter a phase of “more detailed feasibility, consultation, design and planning work” before final plans can be signed off.
However, United hope to complete the entire project within the next five years. That would mean the stadium could be in use by the 2030/31 Premier League season.
Lord Norman Foster, founder of the Foster + Partners firm, said: “Normally, a stadium would take 10 years to build. We half that time. Five years.
“How do we do that? By prefabrication. By using the network of Manchester Ship Canal. Bringing it back to a new life. Shipping in components, 160 of them, Meccano-like.”
How much will the new stadium cost?
United estimate the project will cost around £2 billion, prompting plenty of questions as to how exactly they plan to pay for it.
The club has debt levels of over £1bn and Ratcliffe has embarked on ruthless cost-cutting measures since taking over sporting control in February last year. Indeed, only a day before the new stadium concept was announced, a series of interviews conducted by the petrochemicals magnate were released in which he explained that United were at risk of running out of cash by the end of the year unless hard choices were made.
United chief executive Omar Berrada told reporters: “It’s still quite early and I can’t speculate too much on the funding as a PLC [public limited company]. But it’s a very attractive investment opportunity.”
Ratcliffe himself said to BBC Sport that financing “is not the issue” and said further clarity would come in future. He has previously spoken of his hope that some of the cost would be covered through UK income tax and government investment.
What will happen to Old Trafford?
Ratcliffe said United would be “building next to the existing site” when they construct the new arena. In other words, there are not currently any specific plans for what to do with Old Trafford.
The ground has existed for 115 years and is already the largest club-specific stadium in the UK, but it has become increasingly outdated in recent years amid a lack of investment during the Glazer era. The way the roof leaks when there is heavy rain has come to symbolise the decline of the 20-time English champions.
It is likely United’s men’s team, and occasionally women’s team, will continue to play games at Old Trafford while the new venue is built, as it would be difficult to move their home matches to another site while preserving a decent level of matchday income. Plans for what exactly will happen to United’s traditional home once they leave it will become clearer in the coming weeks.
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