Manchester United unveils plans for 'greatest' football stadium to replace Old Trafford

Manchester United announced on Tuesday their vision to construct the "world's greatest" football stadium. The proposed 100,000-capacity venue would become the largest in the United Kingdom, exceeding Wembley's capacity.
The 20-time English champions intend to build adjacent to their historic Old Trafford ground, enabling them to maintain operations during the construction phase.
Jim Ratcliffe, part owner, stated: "Our current stadium has served us brilliantly for the past 115 years, but it has fallen behind the best arenas in world sport. By building next to the existing site, we will be able to preserve the essence of Old Trafford, while creating a truly state-of-the-art stadium that transforms the fan experience only footsteps from our historic home."
The club has not disclosed the project's cost or completion schedule. Ratcliffe, who invested $1.3 billion for a 25% stake in United last year, identified a new stadium as a key objective.
Although renovating Old Trafford was considered, constructing an entirely new facility emerged as the favoured solution.
Ratcliffe declared: "Today marks the start of an incredibly exciting journey to the delivery of what will be the world's greatest football stadium."
The club envisions the stadium as part of a broader development of the Old Trafford area, projecting an economic impact of 7.3 billion pounds ($9.4 billion) for the UK economy. The government has expressed support, though funding details remain unspecified.
Norman Foster, the British architect, will lead the design.
Currently, Wembley Stadium, home to England's national football team, holds the UK's largest capacity at 90,000.
The national rugby stadium, Twickenham, accommodates 82,500 spectators.
Old Trafford, Britain's largest dedicated football ground with 74,000 seats, appears outdated compared to modern venues like Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which hosts NFL matches.
Omar Berrada, United's chief executive, stated: "Our long-term objective as a club is to have the world's best football team playing in the world's best stadium."
Alex Ferguson commented that the club "must be brave and seize this opportunity to build a new home, fit for the future, where new history can be made."
This announcement follows recent protests by thousands of United supporters against the club's management regarding cost reductions, increased ticket prices and poor performance.
The Glazer family from America maintains majority ownership of United, alongside their NFL team, Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Upon his investment, Ratcliffe promised to restore the club's European football dominance after a decade-long Premier League title drought.
However, his initial year overseeing football operations has proved challenging, with United experiencing their worst Premier League performance and currently struggling in the lower half of the table.