Everton delays stadium switch, project remains on track
The club will not leave Goodison Park for its new 53,000-seater stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock until the start of the 2025/26 season, eschewing a mid-season move.
In an update to fans, Everton FC chief executive said the decision to push the move back is “not because of a construction delay”.
Earlier this year, the club said it was considering moving in the middle of the 2024/25 season after it became clear the project would not complete in time for the beginning of the campaign.
Following consultation with fans, the Toffees have taken the decision to stick with Goodison Park for a full extra season.
“Firstly, and to be absolutely clear, our decision to not move in mid-season is not because of a construction delay,” Chong said.
“It is a club decision driven by a combination of commercial insight, a comprehensive review of the logistics required, an analysis of the potential impact upon our football operations and, importantly, fan feedback sourced as part of our recent stadium migration survey, which was completed by almost 10,000 Evertonians.”
He added: “Everton Stadium remains firmly on track, as scheduled, to be completed in the final weeks of 2024.”
As more evidence emerges – including from the club’s own hand – as to how appallingly the club has been run by its current owner, forgive me for taking this news with a large pinch of salt. Moreover, the long list of mitigations is suggestive that Mr Chong doth protest too much.
By Saint Domingo
It’s looking incredible, it’s going to be some stadium once it’s completed.
By Anonymous
Most attractive stadium in the country
By Anonymous
If the stadium is completed this time next year and has all safety checks they could still play under 21 games, women’s football, or maybe some friendlies , even a rock concert.
By Anonymous
It’s still funny and telling of Everton FC as a whole how this isn’t 60k+, the so called “People’s club” claim they are bigger than the likes of Tottenham, Newcastle, Man City and Villa but are building a stadium smaller than those teams have. Hell – it’s even smaller than Anfield pre-expansion!
By Arteta Money
The big difference between the new stadium and Anfield will be the spectators one filled with local supporters and the other full of tourists and Scandinavians carry bags from the club shop. I wont waste my time talking about Newcastle etc . The truth is Arteta the reds are pig sick seeing our world class stadium move to completion, hence the childish references about stadium capacity , embarrassing.
By Paul
@Artetamoney it’s smaller because of site restraints, getting a stadium on the famous waterfront was well worth a few extra thousand seats. What a stadium.
By Anonymous
Make sense to open at the start of a season. The mid year completion allows safety checks and a few trial events games to test stadium. Fantastic design. It’s bring lots of new developments into the area . As I drove past saw a very big residential development opposite the titanic hotel and next to the canal locks . Looks to be a quality build
By George
@ArtetaMoney,I have a hunch that it was the city council planners who have caused the limit on capacity because they wouldn’t allow the stadium to be higher.
Another tier with 7000 seats would have given us 60000 and not been too much higher than now, but fear of UNESCO and the city’s silly height limits came into play in case you couldn’t see the cathedral from the ferry or from New Brighton.
Of course there are no height limits for Anfield.
By Anonymous
The Labour council restrict everything in Liverpool god help us when they run the country
By Anonymous