Manchester United have revealed the site for a proposed 100,000-capacity stadium, to be built roughly 350 metres north-west of the current Old Trafford ground. If approved, it would become the largest stadium in the UK and serve as the centrepiece of the Wharfside Masterplan, a regeneration scheme for the Trafford Wharfside area.
The £2 billion project, described by chief executive Collette Roche as a "sanity, not vanity" endeavour, could involve selling naming rights to offset costs, with no public funds earmarked for construction. The club nevertheless acknowledges that additional debt may be required, carrying over £1.3 billion in existing liabilities. Trafford Council is set to decide on 20 July whether to advance the masterplan, followed by an eight-week public consultation.
The club aims to open the venue, designed by Foster and Partners with an umbrella-style roof, in time for the 2035 Women's World Cup. The wider 370-acre development is projected to create 48,000 jobs and 15,000 new homes.