Work on the Etihad stadium expansion will begin in November 2023 if the planning application is approved. Manchester City Football Club hopes to appoint the main contractor this September. The club intends to increase the size of its North Stand’s lower tier and add a single, larger upper tier above it.
The Etihad Stadium’s capacity would increase by 7,700 seats to about 61,000. The North Stand is anticipated to be operational by August 2025, in time for the 2025–26 season. Manchester City also intends to construct a 3,000-capacity fan zone with food and beverage establishments as part of its three-year plan. The proposals include a new club shop, museum, hotel, and start-up space.
Manchester City’s Etihad stadium expansion plan
The club stated that “over £300m will be invested in the east Manchester area” as part of the project. It anticipates that the hotel, office building, and public realm projects, including City Square, will be finished by mid-to-late 2026.
Additionally, any prospective contractors would have to develop “a variety of training and apprenticeship programmes for residents in the local community through a legally binding Local Employment Proposal,” it was added. The plans are the subject of a consultation with fans and the neighbourhood that will last until March 26, 2023.
Manchester City revealed plans in 2014 to enlarge both the South and North Stands. The plan called to increase the stadium’s capacity to about 60,000. However, only the plans to add a third tier to the South Stand were implemented. Thus, Laing O’Rourke worked on the project, adding only about 6,000 seats.
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The largest stadiums in the Premier League
The Etihad Stadium is the fifth-largest stadium among Premier League clubs. Its rival, Manchester United, holds the top spot at Old Trafford with 74,310 seats. If Manchester City’s expansion of the Etihad Stadium is approved, it will surpass Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium to become the fourth-largest stadium in the Premier League.
The Etihad stadium is owned by Manchester City Council, which leases it to the football club. The stadium, also known as the City of Manchester Stadium, was initially constructed to host the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Manchester City then relocated there from its previous home at Maine Road in 2003.
