Manchester United have set a revised target date for when the club’s new stadium must be completed by.
Back in March 2025, Manchester United publicly unveiled plans for the new stadium, formally announcing plans to leave Old Trafford.
United aimed to have the stadium ready for the 2030/31 season, but this early ambition has been halted amid problems negotiating the purchase of the land adjacent to Old Trafford. The land is currently owned by Freightliner.
The club are now aiming to have the new stadium complete by 2035, and cannot commit to anything earlier.
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Manchester United latest timeline for new stadium
Collette Roche has been appointed as stadium development CEO, and speaking to club media she has clarified the club’s new timeline.
United’s target is for the new stadium to be completed by 2035 to host the Women’s World Cup Final.
“Our plan is to be able to host other international sporting events and entertainment events. Andy Burnham, the mayor, said his ambition would be for us to host the final for the Women’s World Cup in 2035, so if we could pull that off, that would be incredible.
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“I think when we launched the idea of a new stadium 12 months ago, we did say it would take between four and five years for construction and that’s right.
“But I think people read that as we might have the stadium ready for 2030. But as you know, with a stadium build as complex as the one that we’re going to enter into, it does take one or two years to get ready for construction.
“To get the land assembled, to get the funds in place and to get the planning permission. So that’s the part that we’re doing right now.
It is possible that United could still complete the stadium prior to 2035, Roche insists that an actual open date has now been set.
But clearly 2035 is being viewed as a red line by the club, a target that must be met. A firmer target cannot be committed to at this point.
“So we’ve not named a date for opening, but we are on track within those timescales.
“Some of the examples of progress we’ve made are first and foremost in land assembly.
“We want to make sure we get the best possible position for this stadium, one which has got plenty of land around it to put the right facilities in place, one that’s connected and offers a great match day experience.
“I’ve been spending a lot of time talking to all the local landowners to understand where that needs to be, and we’re progressing that really, really well, and I’m hoping to be able to share some positive news on that front in the next few months.”
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iNews report that Freightliner are supportive of United’s stadium project and are committed to finding a solution, but they might not be able to vacate the land fully until 2031.
United had planned for construction to begin as early as the end of 2026.
Stadium designer Norman Foster explained last year: “Normally a stadium would take 10 years to build. We halved that time, five years.
“How do we do that? By prefabrication. By using the network of Manchester ship canal, bringing it back to a new life.
“Shipping in components, 160 of them, Meccano-like. Then we rebuild the Old Trafford station.”
While the actual construction process could be as swift as Foster describes, a planning application has still not been submitted for review.
United then need to acquire the land for the construction to go ahead.
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Manchester United stadium cost
Manchester United estimate the cost of the stadium will be £2 billion. It has not yet been clarified exactly how this will be funded.
Speaking at the March Manchester United fan forum, a spokesperson clarified that public money will not be spent.
“Our proposed new stadium will be financed privately, and we continue to have positive conversations with potential investors and all stakeholders.”
United will be able to continue playing at Old Trafford while the new stadium is built.
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