Manchester United CEO Collette Roche has confirmed the club are making quiet progress on their plans for a new stadium, which is expected to be opened in 2032.
Plans for a “Wembley of the North” were unveiled in March 2025, with United plotting the build the biggest stadium in England on the site of their current Old Trafford home.
Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has previously estimated the project would be completed in 2030, but Roche has now revealed the new stadium will not be ready to use until a few years later because of the complexity of the preparations involved.
“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,” said Roche.
“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. So we’ve not named a date for opening, but we are on track within those timescales.”
Man Utd Hopeful of Huge Update in Coming Months
Old Trafford
Public progress on the project has been limited. | Molly Darlington/Getty Images
While United already own the site of their current Old Trafford home, the proposed project requires an expansion into surrounding land and negotiations over those purchases have proven problematic up to this point.
Roche insisted progress has been made “behind the scenes” and expressed confidence that a positive update will be delivered to fans in the coming months.
“Some of the examples of progress we’ve made are first and foremost in land assembly,” said Roche.
“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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