Manchester City could get a major boost before the end of the season as Pep Guardiola's side chase Arsenal
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - AUGUST 23: A general view of the partially constructed North Stand during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur at Etihad Stadium on August 23, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - AUGUST 23: A general view of the partially constructed North Stand during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur at Etihad Stadium on August 23, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
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Manchester City are expecting to open the top tier of the North Stand up this season in a move that could boost the noise for Pep Guardiola's side as they chase Arsenal in the Premier League. The club are close to completing the first stage of their £300m redevelopment and the plan is for more fans to be allowed in the ground before the end of the current campaign.
Following their Champions League exit at the hands of Real Madrid, City only have five home games left. Saturday's FA Cup quarter-final with Liverpool at the Etihad is the last round of the domestic cup competition that isn't played at Wembley, with the winners booking a trip to the capital later in April.
That leaves three Premier League games in the diary, with an enormous match against Arsenal on April 19 followed by games against Brentford on May 9 and Aston Villa on May 24 - the final day of the season. There is also a home game with Crystal Palace to be rearranged that was meant to be played on the weekend of the Carabao Cup final.
City will need to hold test events with the expanded North Stand, which adds another 7,000 seats in total to the stadium with the new top tier. The club have to ensure that various checks are met but the stand is set to open in some capacity in the coming weeks.
Guardiola will relish the prospect of potentially having more noise for any of their final Premier League home games as they look to fight improbable odds and claw back their deficit to Arsenal at the top of the table. The Blues are currently nine points behind but have their game in hand against Palace as well as welcoming the Gunners - who they beat in the Carabao Cup final a few weeks ago - to the Etihad in April.
This could also be the final few chances for fans to show their appreciation for some at City. Bernardo Silva is out of contract in the summer after giving nine years to the club while speculation still surrounds Guardiola's future despite his deal running until 2027.