Arsenal Emirates Stadium
Image credit: Getty Images
Arsenal are exploring the possibility of expanding or upgrading the Emirates Stadium and have looked at Real Madrid’s redevelopment of the Santiago Bernabéu as a reference point.
The Gunners have called the Emirates home since 2006 and have made several renovations in recent years, including the installation of new artwork on the stadium’s exterior. However, club co-chair Josh Kroenke revealed in an interview with ESPN last summer that “internal conversations” were ongoing regarding further improvements.
According to Standard Sport, these discussions remain in the exploratory stage, with Arsenal assessing the feasibility of expansion or upgrades to their north London ground. The club has taken inspiration from other major stadium projects, including Real Madrid’s ambitious refurbishment of the Bernabéu.
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Madrid announced plans to modernise their stadium in 2019, with club president Florentino Pérez promising to create “the best stadium in the world.” The futuristic redevelopment, completed last year, aligns with the club’s vision of becoming “the great digital stadium of the future.”
Coincidentally, Arsenal staff were in Madrid earlier this season for an event, providing them with an opportunity to see the transformed Bernabéu and learn more about its features. The Gunners will also visit the stadium next month for the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid.
Emirates Stadium
Emirates Stadium (Image credit: Getty Images)
Kroenke previously acknowledged the challenges of renovating the Emirates, stating that it is “not an easy renovation.” While discussions remain in the early stages, Arsenal have already begun upgrading various aspects of the stadium.
Ongoing upgrades at the Emirates
The club has enlisted Populous, the architectural firm behind the original Emirates Stadium design, to enhance catering facilities and upgrade kitchen infrastructure. One notable improvement has been the beer supply, which venue director Tom McCann highlighted at a fan forum last year.
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“The club is in the middle of a project spending about £2 million upgrading our beer supply,” read minutes from the January 2024 meeting. “Everything from investing in the pythons, in the sellers, in the technology, in the number of kiosks.”
Additionally, Arsenal are working to enhance phone connectivity at the stadium, with 5G technology set to be introduced by the start of next season. However, a full-stadium Wi-Fi system is not currently in the club’s plans.
“Our primary connectivity strategy for the stadium and our supporters is via 5G,” McCann stated. “Our new DAS (Digital Distributed Antenna System) solution to deliver 5G is already in delivery, and the intention is that this will be in place for the start of next season. DAS is like having many small antennas throughout a building that work together to improve wireless signal strength and coverage.”
While no final decisions have been made on expanding the Emirates, Arsenal remain committed to modernising their stadium to improve the matchday experience for supporters.
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