Manchester City to appoint contractor for £300m stadium plans

1/3 External view of proposed development

2/3 Internal view facing towards North Stand

3/3 Internal view of North Stand

Manchester City Football Club is aiming to appoint a main contractor this September to deliver its new stadium expansion, with work expected to start in November if a planning application is approved.

The club plans to expand its North Stand with a larger, single upper tier above the existing lower tier. A total of 7,700 seats would be added, boosting capacity at the Eithad Stadium to around 61,000.

It hopes the newly upgraded North Stand will be open by August 2025, ready for the 2025/26 season.

As part of its three-year plan, Manchester City is also hoping to build a 3,000-capacity fan zone with food and drink outlets. A new club shop, museum and hotel also form part of the proposals, along with workspace for start-ups.

The club said the overall project would involve “over £300m investment in the east Manchester area”. It expects the hotel, workspace and public realm works, including City Square, to be complete by mid-to-late 2026.

Any potential contractors would also need to create a “range of training and apprenticeship programmes for residents in the local community through a legally binding Local Employment Proposal”, it added.

A consultation with fans and the local community on the plans has been launched, running until 26 March.

Manchester City revealed plans in 2014 to boost the stadium’s capacity to around 60,000, with its South Stand and North Stand to be enlarged. 

However, only the proposals to upgrade the South Stand with a third tier came to fruition, as Laing O’Rourke completed the job which added around 6,000 seats. 

The Etihad Stadium is fifth in terms of capacity among Premier League clubs, with its rival Manchester United top with 74,310 at Old Trafford. 

Liverpool is sixth in this table, but capacity will rise to around 61,000 once a new stand at the Anfield Road End of its stadium is finished. 

The Etihad is owned by Manchester City Council, which leases it to the football club.

The stadium, also known as the City of Manchester Stadium, was originally built to host the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Manchester City moved there from its old Maine Road ground in 2003.