British tabloid The Sun, under the headline “New Trafford”, has reported that Manchester United plans to build a brand new £2 billion stadium instead of refurbishing the existing one.
Manchester United has been using Old Trafford as their home ground since 1910, a stadium with a 114-year history. It has undergone multiple expansions and currently holds 74,300 spectators. Now, it is believed that a club of Man United’s stature should have the most advanced facilities and a larger stadium capacity. Therefore, the team has been exploring solutions.
After Sir Ratcliffe became the owner of Manchester United, he initially considered seriously rebuilding the existing stadium, but the plan was affected by many practical factors. For instance, the cost of refurbishment was even higher than building a new stadium. Another issue was revenue, as the stadium’s capacity would be affected during construction. Man United might even have to temporarily relocate, impacting their revenue.
Currently, Man United is more inclined to build a new stadium near Old Trafford. For this goal, they have been visiting other stadiums, such as Real Madrid’s new Bernabéu Stadium and Barcelona’s new Camp Nou Stadium, both of which have undergone major renovations. Additionally, Man United has sent a team to inspect the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, a stadium with a capacity of 70,000, which will host 6 games, including the opening match, in the 2026 World Cup.
Many Red Devils fans do not support the team moving away from Old Trafford. The club has consulted about 30,000 fans, with roughly half supporting staying and half supporting moving.
British media have revealed that Man United will formally announce the “New Trafford” plan in December. The new stadium is expected to have a capacity of 100,000 and cost £2 billion. It is set to be completed in 2030. The funding source is currently under negotiation and will adopt a mixed model of public funds and private investment. Man United has also contacted the new British Prime Minister, and the authorities are willing to support this project.
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