<a href="/football" class="sdc-site-localnav__header-title" data-role="nav-header" aria-controls="sdc-site-localnav-body" aria-expanded="false"> <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 34 34" class="sdc-site-localnav__icon"> <path d="M6.02 12.67c.01.194.087.362.247.525l.188.192L16.52 23.45c.188.19.44.294.706.294s.518-.104.707-.293l10.135-10.134.123-.126c.162-.163.24-.332.248-.53.006-.173-.155-.438-.442-.725-.187-.187-.386-.368-.59-.537-.05-.04-.096-.078-.138-.11l-.496.495-9.193 9.193-.355.354-.354-.354-9.197-9.198-.484-.484c-.043.033-.09.07-.14.112-.204.168-.402.348-.59.536-.285.288-.446.553-.44.727z" /> </svg>Football </a> <br>Man Utd have confirmed plans to build a new 100,000-seater stadium next to Old Trafford, bringing regeneration to the area; it would make the new ground the largest in the UK; Sky Sports takes a look at some of the key questions surrounding the project<br>Wednesday 12 March 2025 08:37, UK<br>Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player<br><br>Man Utd have confirmed plans to build a new 100,000-seater stadium next to Old Trafford. Sky Sports looks at some of the key questions surrounding the announcement...<br>The new stadium will be built next to the current ground, although it is unclear what will happen to Old Trafford.<br>Club co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has previously stressed he wants to keep the 'essence' of the famous ground, saying: "Our current stadium has served us brilliantly for the past 115 years, but it has fallen behind the best arenas in world sport.<br>"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."<br>Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player<br><br>Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player<br><br>In a promotional video for the new stadium, architect Lord Norman Foster says the stadium will take five years to build.<br>Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player<br><br>However, no start date for any regeneration or building works has been given. That timeframe is also not accounting for any possible building delays.<br>Ratcliffe said that a 'modular build' would allow the stadium to be built more quickly, but said that any timeline would depend on "how quickly the government get going with their regeneration programme".<br> Stream Sky Sports on NOW <br> Watch FREE PL highlights on the app <br> Get Sky Sports <br> Choose the sports notifications you want! <br> Download the Sky Sports App <br>"I think they want to get going quite quickly, because they want to see progress in this parliament," the United chief said.<br>"Normally, if you were building a 100,000-seater stadium from the ground up, in an area that needs to be regenerated, it's a 10-year project. But if we get going with the government then I think it's a five-year project, not a 10-year project."<br>Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player<br><br><em>Sky Sports News'</em> Melissa Reddy reports that Manchester United will continue to play at Old Trafford while the new stadium is being built.<br>However, if these plans were to change, there has been precedent in recent years for teams playing in a different stadium.<br>Tottenham Hotspur played at Wembley for almost three years between 2016 and 2019 as their new ground was being built. Previously, Fulham also played at Loftus Road while Craven Cottage was being refurbished.<br>Geographically, Manchester City's Etihad Stadium is the closest ground to Old Trafford. There are also options further afield, with two Premier League grounds in nearby Liverpool, including Anfield and Everton's new Bramley-Moore Dock stadium.<br>It will be the become the tallest building in Manchester, with the tallest mast at 200m in height. Currently, the Beetham Tower is the tallest at 169m. The Wembley arch, by comparison, reaches a height of 135m. <br> <br> It will be the second largest football stadium in Europe – second to the Nou Camp in Barcelona <br> <br> The new Stretford End will have a capacity of 23,500, over twice the size of Tottenham’s South Stand. <br> <br> 15.5 per cent of the seats in the new stadium will be hospitality <br> <br> The club claim the new stadium will be visible from the Peak District, Cheshire and the outskirts of Liverpool.<br>The falling standards of United's ground have been well-documented, the latest example coming in the wake of their home defeat to Arsenal in May 2024, where areas of the stadium flooded following a thunderstorm, with water also falling through the roof.<br>Other videos of run-down parts of the ground have circulated online in recent years and even though it is the largest club stadium in England, it was not selected to be one of the host venues for Euro 2028 in the UK and Ireland.<br>"It's a beautiful stadium, Old Trafford - but I'm not a fan of the roof because I think it comes in too low," said United We Stand editor Andy Mitten.<br>"Old Trafford shouldn't be getting smaller, it should be getting bigger."<br>Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player<br><br>The last time the club undertook major works on Old Trafford was in May 2006, when 8,000 seats were added to the north-west and north-east quadrants of the stadium.<br>That work was approved before the Glazer family took control of the club in June 2005, meaning no work has been done to renovate Old Trafford since United's majority shareholders took over 19 years ago.<br>Old Trafford can hold 74,000 spectators, and it is understood that under current building plans, there would be no need to reduce the capacity of the current ground.<br>There has been no confirmation on any potential name for the new stadium, although it has been referred to as 'New Trafford Stadium' in a factsheet from the architects, Foster and Partners.<br>However, it is possible that a new ground will come with naming rights, such as Arsenal did when they moved to the Emirates in 2006.<br>When discussing this possibility, Man Utd CEO Omar Berrarda told <em>Sky Sports News</em>: "We're looking at all the options. It's still very early days. We do see this as a very attractive investment opportunity."<br>Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player<br><br>United believe the new stadium will cost £2bn.<br>But Manchester United have debts of more than £1bn - the club have a financial debt of £731m and a transfer debt of £391m.<br><em>Sky Sports News' chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol:</em><br>"The stadium is going to cost at least £2bn. I think it will cost more than that. Where is that money going to come from? It is going to come from banks. Manchester United are going to have to borrow money to build the stadium.<br>"I think lots of banks will be happy to lend the money to build this stadium because banks will think we can make money out of this deal because fans will go to the new ground, they will spend money and that money will go through the club and we'll make money from interest payments.<br>"So in the short term, banks will pay for the new stadium. But of course, in the long term, who pays for everything in football? Fans. They will pay to go to the new stadium. They will pay for tickets, which have gone up in price. They will pay for food and drink and entertainment and all of the new outlets that are going to be built around the stadium.<br>"So the short answer is banks will pay for it to be built. In the long term, fans will pay for it."<br>Tom from Southampton became a millionaire for free with Super 6! Could you be the next jackpot winner? Play for free!<br> <a href="/" class="svg-logo site-footer__site-logo"> <img class="svg-logo__image" alt="Sky Sports" src="https://e0.365dm.com/tvlogos/channels/Sky-Sports-Logo.svg" onerror="this.onerror=null;this.src='https://e0.365dm.com/tvlogos/channels/Sky-Sports-Logo.png'"> </a> © 2025 Sky UK <br><br><a href="https://news.google.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?oc=5">source</a>
