Manchester United Contemplates a Grand ‘New Old Trafford’ with a 100,000 Capacity Vision
Manchester United is exploring ambitious plans to either revamp the iconic Old Trafford or construct a new state-of-the-art stadium, potentially expanding its capacity to a staggering 100,000 seats. The club has engaged the architectural team behind Tottenham Hotspur’s acclaimed new arena to envision the future of their storied home ground.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the new co-owner and head of Ineos, has expressed his desire for a cutting-edge facility that befits the club’s prestigious status. On a recent episode of the Geraint Thomas Cycling Club podcast, Ratcliffe alluded to the possibility of significantly increasing Old Trafford’s capacity, signaling a transformative era for the club’s infrastructure.
“Football in the north is just as important as it is in the south, arguably more so, and the people in the north pay their taxes, so why do we have Wembley, Twickenham, Wimbledon etc in the south.
“What have we got in the north? There’s a strong argument to build a ‘Wembley of the north’.” And according to a report from the Daily Mail, stadium designers Populous have already come up with proposals to renovate or rebuild Old Trafford.
Populous are said to have been brought in by the Glazers and that the plans they came up with are now being ‘scrutinised by Ratcliffe’s INEOS people’. A task force was set up earlier this month to explore the club’s options, with former United captain Gary Neville, Lord Sebastian Coe and the Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham all involved.