DESIGN OF NEW MANCHESTER UNITED STADIUM KICKS OFF

The design includes a new stadium with a capacity of 100,000 seats as well as surrounding public spaces, including parks, mixed-use developments, an open-air cinema and a renovated train station. 

The stadium design features an open structure with a distinctive tented-look roof. Always visible from a distance, the roof is designed to shelter crowds while amplifying the intensity of the football experience. According to Norman Foster of Foster + Partners, the new Manchester United Stadium is "not a fortress surrounded by a sea of cars" but an open space "contained by an umbrella that harvests solar energy and rainwater." This "umbrella" refers to the tent-shaped roof supported by three masts, which also symbolically evoke the club's trident emblem. The roof is acoustically designed to carry the crowd's roar beyond the stadium.

The surrounding area will include a mixed-use district with a network of green spaces, streets and waterfront areas, transforming the current one-million-square-meter brownfield site. The stadium is planned as the centerpiece of the district, with its canopy roof shielding a large public plaza from rainfall. Overlooking the city's Bridgewater Canal, which runs adjacent to the site, the covered plaza is designed to feature a variety of interactive experiences for Manchester United fans and visitors.

A key advantage for fans is the reduced construction time due to prefabrication strategies, with Foster + Partners estimating five years instead of ten. The stadium will be built from approximately 160 prefabricated, Meccano-like components, transported via Manchester's Ship Canal, a nod to the city's industrial heritage. The new stadium is set to be built on a site near the Old Trafford stadium, Manchester United's home since 1910. According to the BBC, once the construction is complete, the existing stadium is likely to be demolished. As part of the master plan, Foster + Partners also plans to rebuild Old Trafford station, creating a direct, walkable route to the stadium within a sports-led urban district.

The traditional "fortress and parking" stadium model, as described by Norman Foster, is being replaced by more integrated, multifunctional urban designs. This approach aims to transform the stadium into year-round destination, expanding its role beyond sports to serve as a community hub and urban landmark.