Manchester United's plan to make their new £2billion stadium the 'Wembley of the North' could put them on a collision course with the FA over a fixture 10 years away
New Manchester United stadium design
Manchester United are building a new stadium for an estimated £2billion
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Manchester United are set for crunch talks with the FA to ensure that their new £2billion stadium will host the 2035 Women's World Cup final instead of Wembley. The Red Devils unveiled plans to build a state-of-the-art 100,000-seater stadium earlier this year, part of a wider redevelopment project in the local area.
As well as giving United's first-team a new home, having played at Old Trafford since 1910, they want the arena to host major events both inside and outside of football. One showpiece that has been targeted is the Women's World Cup final in 10 years' time.
Next year, it's expected that England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be confirmed as joint hosts of the tournament. When England hosted the Women's European Championship in 2022, the final was played at Wembley, as the Lionesses beat Germany 2-1.
Should United get their way, however, the 2035 final will be take place in Manchester. The Daily Mail report that club chiefs are now ramping up their lobbying efforts amid concerns that Wembley could get the nod once again, with the stadium also hosting the 2028 men's Euro final.
United's view is understood to be that, by 2035, a new Old Trafford would be better-suited to hosting a major event than Wembley, while they argue that not every final should be played in London. These are arguments that United will reportedly put to both FIFA and the FA during talks.
United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has, on multiple occasions, made clear his desire for the club's new stadium to serve as the 'Wembley of the North'. "There's a very good case, in my view, for having a stadium of the North, which would serve the northern part of the country in that arena of football," Ratcliffe told Sky News in 2024.
"If you look at the number of Champions League the North West has won, it's 10. London has won two. And yet everybody from the North has to get down to London to watch a big football match. And there should be one [a large stadium] in the North, in my view.
"But it's also important for the southern side of Manchester, you know, to regenerate. It's the sort of second capital of the country where the Industrial Revolution began. But if you have a regeneration project, you need a nucleus or a regeneration project and having that world-class stadium there, I think would provide the impetus to regenerate that region."
New Manchester United stadium design
Manchester United's new stadium will be part of a wider development project
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United's Chief Operating Officer, Collette Roche, also confirmed the club's ambition to host matches at the 2035 tournament after Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham announced the region's 'Growth Plan'. The project includes 15,000 homes and redeveloping Old Trafford.
"We are delighted to see the Old Trafford Regeneration project at the heart of Greater Manchester's wider growth plan for the next decade," Roche said. "We want to build the world’s best football stadium as a new home for Manchester United and a venue fit for the biggest international events, including the 2035 FIFA Women's World Cup, surrounded by a vibrant business, leisure and residential district served by excellent transport links.
"We are determined to play our part, together with other stakeholders, in making this vision a reality, and unlocking the huge benefits it can deliver for the surrounding community and wider region."
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