Detailed design of Man United stadium to begin imminently
Foster + Partners will ramp up efforts to craft Manchester United’s proposed 100,000-seater stadium from late summer with the aim of sharing a detailed vision for the ground before the end of the year or early next.
Speaking at the launch of the 370-acre Wharfside masterplan, chief executive of new stadium development at Manchester United Collette Roche said design work would move to the next stage in a couple of weeks.
In March 2025, the club unveiled concept designs for a new stadium at MIPIM. The early visuals showed a three-pronged canopy structure but Roche said all options for the ground’s aesthetic are on the table following the acquisition of land for the scheme from Indurent in June.
The football club wants to build what would be the UK’s largest sports stadium on a triangular, 25-acre site off John Gilbert Way, Wharfside Way, and Europa Way. The site of the proposed new stadium is around 350 metres north-west of the existing ground.
Manchester United had originally explored building its new ground closer to the existing one, utilising part of the Freightliner terminal. However, it was widely reported that the two companies differed significantly in their valuation of the site.
Roche insisted that while the site is further away, the club had not been forced to compromise.
“This is the prime location of the stadium,” she said, highlighting the logistical benefits of the site.
“Being 350 meters away for the next four or five years, or however long it takes to build a stadium, is going to be really important, because if it’s too close, it will be disruptive.
“Our players would be playing on a building site, the fans wouldn’t be able to get in and out, the transport would be a nightmare.”
This image from March 2025 shows early thinking for the design on a different plot. Credit: Foster + Partners
While the Wharfside masterplan states that the likely delivery window for the stadium is between 2031 and 2035, Roche refused be drawn on a date for the ribbon cutting.
However, Roche did reiterate a desire to see the ground open in time to host matches at the 2035 Women’s World Cup.
Question marks remain about how the stadium, expected to cost around £2bn to build, will be funded but Roche said she is not concerned about finding the cash.
“We’re not worried about the level of interest and support and funding options,” she said.
“We’ve still got all of the funding options available to us. It’s like when you buy anything, you could have debt, we can have equity, we can have shares, we can have other investors.
“We’ve had a lot of approaches, as you’d expect, with people saying, ‘I want to be part of this’”.
As for the existing ground, the club claims no decision has been made on what will happen. However, the Theatre of Dreams does not feature in any visuals within the newly launched masterplan.
If the club did decide to demolish Old Trafford, it would be by no means the only club to take that route when relocating to a new ground. Arsenal’s Highbury, West Ham’s Upton Park, and Tottenham’s White Hart Lane were all pulled down.
Any decision on the current ground would be informed by conversations with fans, Roche said.
100,000?! I hope Manchester Airport’s team are planning to increase frequency on all routes from Ireland.
By Anonymous
I hope the stadium is just as inpressive as ineos are making it out to be
By number 1 cunha fan
No public money – Liverpool and Everton got no public funding for their upgrades.
By Anonymous
Highbury wasn’t pulled down – it was turned into apartments, White Hart Lane had to go as the new stadium was built on half the land it occupied 🤷♂️
By Gary
I think it’s in a rubbish location , if they have to move from OT, put it by the ship canal, be an iconic location. I also think it’s too far from the Altrincham tram line, will just encourage more people to drive.
By Anonymous
It would be loads better next to the ship canal or the bridgewater. I guess the tram line scuppered the chance of it being on the ship canal.
By Anonymous
Everton benefitted from £20m for the fan zone around the stadium from steve rotherham
By Bramley Poore
Just a few points to make:
A) There needs to be early Main Contractor involvement, Architects and Structural Engineers get far too carried away with unbuildable designs made in a fantasy world, coupled with the fact that the Cost Consultants (Client’s QS) massively under-estimate the costs on pretty much every build project these days. A Main Contractor needs to be engaged as early as possible to manage expectations in terms of buildability, cost and programme. This project is going to be in the global public eye and one of the most significant build and infrastructure projects untaken in modern times.
B) In reference to a previous comment, the new stadium location is literally next to the Bridgewater Canal.
C) As a United fan, I personally think Collette Roche is fantastic and the club need to hold on to her as long as possible, I know there are other premier league clubs sniffing around for her to be their CEO.
By Savvy QS
I think it’s a great development but I can see the tram being extremely overwhelmed. I’m skeptical the new station will be regularly served and I think chaos will ensue on match days. I hope this is a catalyst for an underground tunnel in the city centre as that’s the only way I can see the Trafford Park tram line having a double-tram every 6 minutes, which a development of this size will need.
By MC
No way!
If this gets built then that whole area will be one big waterfront city centre
By Shocked and amazed
Following on from my previous comment, I can see there is unused track (or space that was once track) between Cornbrook and the freight terminal. Surely that would be a relatively cost effective tram extension?
By MC
Generic consultant rubbish. The big question dodged. I have read more about the public realm planting strategies, than any strategy to deal with the 100,000 spectators expected on matchdays. Pointless drivel
By Tannoy
With that capacity, the motorways from the south of England will need upgrading. Good job they’re building hs2, that will help getting fans halfway at least.
By Bob
Anyone seen any more details on the 48,000 jobs as the whole new Wembley area development has only created about 15,000 jobs
By AP
The more you look at this site the more exciting it is. Great opportunity for Fosters & MUFC to work with Peel to integrate the Bridgewater canal into the scheme and make a real feature of it.
I quite liked the canopy design despite the negativity.
By Cyril
Bob – that’s hilarious nobody will have heard that before you are a true comic genius.
By Anonymous
@ Bramley Poore , if Steve says he spent £20m on that fan zone he got robbed. Some temporary fencing on an area bought by Merseytravel years ago as a bus interchange. Everton got no public money neither should Utd.
By Anon
Thanks, Anonymous July 13, 10:20am, I’m pleased that you appreciated my comment.
By Bob