Manchester United is considering expanding the capacity of Old Trafford to 88,000 seats, which would make the English Premier League football club’s home the second-largest stadium in Europe.
According to the Daily Mail newspaper, the proposed project sets out plans to add 12,000 seats to the stadium, placing it second behind the Nou Camp, the 99,523-capacity home of Spanish La Liga side Barcelona.
The first 7,500 seats would be installed in the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand, with the club then set to add quadrants in the two corners of the stand. This latter part of the project would go ahead without the need to reduce the stadium’s capacity while work takes place.
The project could also include a safe standing area for Manchester United supporters that wish to stand throughout the game, as well as the development of new hospitality suites. The club is currently having to use corporate facilities at the nearby Lancashire County Cricket Club due to its lack of suites.
Although the proposed expansion remains firmly in the early planning stages, the club has announced solid plans to add 300 new positions for Manchester United disabled fans at Old Trafford.
Work is due to be completed by this August and will require 2,600 season ticket-holders to move seats over the next three years, as the spaces are phased in.
As a result of the work, the capacity of the stadium will be reduced from 75,000 to approximately 73,300.
Richard Arnold, group managing director for the club, said: “Old Trafford is a home for all United fans and these changes will help many more of our loyal disabled supporters to attend games to watch their heroes.
“We know that many of the affected season ticket-holders have held their seats for decades and it will be a sacrifice to give them up. But we also know that the vast majority will understand and support this expansion.
“We are committed to finding a new home for every season ticket-holder, either in an equivalent area, or if they choose a better seat our goodwill package will ensure they pay no more in the first season for having to move.”
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