Introduction to Stadium Expansion
Saturday 18 October 2025 8:00 am | Updated: Thursday 16 October 2025 1:07 pm
LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 14: General view outside the stadium as fans arrive prior to the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Aston Villa at Emirates Stadium on April 14, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Arsenal have become the second Premier League giant this year to let it be known they are considering major moves to increase stadium capacity. To expand, clubs must consider whether they can increase capacity on their existing stands or move location altogether. This year, Liverpool finished adding 7,000 seats to Anfield whilst neighbours Everton moved to a new dockside location – a decision which partly cost the city Unesco World Heritage status. Manchester United have opted for the latter. With England already boasting the world’s first carbon-neutral football club – Forest Green Rovers have planning permission for an all-timber stadium – United sought to embed sustainability into the concept with an umbrella roof to harvest energy and rainwater. However, the stadium is now being re-designed to manage escalating costs.
Logistical Challenges of Expansion
Arsenal may therefore favour following in Liverpool’s footsteps, but expanding Emirates Stadium will be a complex logistical challenge. The site is hemmed in on three sides by residential areas and bordered by both the Piccadilly and Northern Underground lines, which means transport, crowd management and security will be central issues for any capacity increase. The local infrastructure is already under significant match-day pressure, so mitigating impacts on the surrounding community will be critical to securing planning consent.
Chelsea face similar difficulties due to Stamford Bridge’s residential location – with recent expansion plans curtailed by local opposition. The club have yet to confirm whether they intend to relocate, expand or even demolish and rebuild – with Twickenham purported to be a potential temporary home. Interim relocation by Arsenal to Wembley could be necessary to deliver a major upgrade safely and efficiently.
Arsenal Could Look to SoFi for Inspiration
In December, a LaLiga match will be played abroad for the first time in Spanish football history – a sign that clubs across Europe are innovating in different ways to expand their revenues. In England, football clubs are increasingly looking to expand non-football use by hosting big-ticket events. Since opening in 2019, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has been the official home of NFL in the UK, and has hosted rugby finals, world championship boxing and global artists such as Beyonce. To capitalise further on this, last year Tottenham secured an amendment to its existing planning permission, allowing it to host up to 30 money-spinning non-football events per year.
In order to host more non-football events, Arsenal would also likely need to revisit existing concert restrictions, which limit the club to three per year, plus three non-football, non-musical events. The local planning authority may also be more reluctant to allow increased flexibility at the Emirates given its more central location, but could seek to mitigate impacts through increased noise or traffic controls. Arsenal may seek design inspiration from the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, which was privately funded by their ultimate owner Stan Kroenke and has a capacity that is expandable to over 100,000.
Design and Planning Considerations
Any raising of the roof at the Emirates to facilitate higher gradient seating for a loftier capacity, however, would likely require a revision to spatial restrictions imposed by the local authority. It will be interesting to see how the Emirates, home to Arsenal for almost 20 years now, evolves to keep pace with a changing football world. Sadie Pitmans is an associate in the planning team at Charles Russell Speechlys.
Conclusion
The expansion of football stadiums is a complex process that involves careful consideration of logistical, financial, and environmental factors. As Arsenal and other Premier League clubs look to increase their stadium capacity, they must balance the needs of their fans, the local community, and the environment. By seeking inspiration from successful stadium designs and re-examining existing planning restrictions, Arsenal can create a world-class stadium that meets the needs of its fans and the local community.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why do football clubs want to expand their stadiums?
A: Football clubs want to expand their stadiums to increase their revenue, improve the fan experience, and stay competitive with other teams. Expanding a stadium can allow a club to host more fans, increase ticket sales, and generate more revenue from concessions and sponsorships.
Q: What are the challenges of expanding a stadium?
A: The challenges of expanding a stadium include logistical, financial, and environmental factors. Clubs must consider the impact of expansion on the local community, transportation, and crowd management. They must also balance the costs of expansion with the potential revenue benefits.
Q: How can clubs mitigate the impacts of expansion on the local community?
A: Clubs can mitigate the impacts of expansion on the local community by engaging with local residents, businesses, and stakeholders to understand their concerns and develop strategies to address them. This can include measures such as increased noise or traffic controls, improved public transportation, and community outreach programs.
Q: What is the role of planning authorities in stadium expansion?
A: Planning authorities play a crucial role in stadium expansion by reviewing and approving plans, ensuring that expansion meets local regulations and guidelines, and balancing the needs of the club with the needs of the local community. They can also impose conditions on expansion, such as limits on noise or traffic, to mitigate the impacts on the local community.
