Newcastle United have improved on the pitch under the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) ‘s ownership. In 2022/23, they qualified for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in 20 years and in 2024/25, they won their first trophy in 70 years in the form of the Carabao Cup.
The importance of the fans at St. James' Park has never been more evident than it has over the past couple of seasons and with that in mind, imagine what a stadium with with 65,000 screaming Geordies in it would feel and sound like.
That may become a reality shortly, with plans for a new Newcastle stadium being widely reported. Here's everything you need to know.
What are the latest Newcastle stadium plans?
A promotional video has already been made for the new Newcastle stadium
If there are any doubts around whether Newcastle are really set on leaving St James' Park then there soon won't be as some staff members have already seen a promotional video detailing what the new stadium at Leazes Park will look like.
According to a report in the Guardian, a promotional video was recently presented to senior staff and the fan advisory board, which all but confirms the plans to leave St James' Park barring a last-minute u-turn.
Those who have seen the promotional video say that the clip begins with aerial footage of Leazes Park before it zooms in on the site for the new stadium. One interesting design point from the video is that it doesn't overlap with St James' Park, which means the club will be able to continue playing there while the new stadium is constructed.
March 2025 – Leazes Park now seems the plan
Newcastle United is evolving its plans for a new stadium at Leazes Park, aiming for a capacity of 65,000. This decision comes shortly after previously considering a site near St James' Park, which would see the two sides overlap.
The new stadium location will help maintain its central location and is expected to boost the local economy and create jobs with government support to navigate
approval processes. Although projected costs will likely exceed £1 billion, anticipated annual revenues are expected to offset this expense. The design features a ‘bubble wrap’ exterior and is inspired by the Allianz Arena. Initial hopes for a 70,000 capacity have been tempered to avoid unfilled seats, yet plans include the possibility of future expansion. Support remains strong among fans, though some scepticism exists as the project moves forward, allowing the club to play at St James' Park during construction.
A new stadium looks likely
Sadly, for those Newcastle fans hoping that St James' Park is here to stay, it looks increasingly likely that a new stadium is the plan. While hope for an expansion has not completely died out, the rumour mill seems to be spinning towards a new stadium being the best option.
Currently, club officials are eager to clarify that no decision has been reached. This is likely due to an upcoming fan forum in March that will discuss the possibilities of a new stadium or expansion. The PIF, which is the club’s majority owner, will have the ultimate authority on any new project. Nonetheless, interest seems to be growing regarding the concept of a new stadium.
Once completed, the new stadium would position Newcastle United as having the second-largest capacity in the Premier League, only trailing behind Old Trafford.
Newcastle United's next steps will involve obtaining verbal approval from the council before any plans are submitted. Judging by the revealed designs, the club appears to aim to address this by building the new stadium partially on the existing grounds of St James' Park. According to an image from the Telegraph, the new structure would overlap with St James' Park by at least 25%, which means it will minimally impinge on the green space of Leazes Park.
If given the green light, the new stadium is expected to take six to seven years to build, with plans to have it completed by the 2031/32 season.
Gallowgate End ‘Yellow Wall' plan
Reports in December 2024 stated that Newcastle United are targeting the famous Dortmund ‘Yellow Wall,' a stand known for its passionate and vocal fans, as inspiration for the revamp. This iconic stand, with a capacity of 25,000, is a symbol of the intense support that football fans can provide. Right now, Tottenham's 17,500-seat South Stand is the largest single stand in the UK, but that is nothing compared to Dortmund's ‘Yellow Wall ‘.
Right now, Gallowgate can hold around 11,000 fans, but the club wants to increase its total capacity from 52,000 to 65,000. Not all of that will go into the Gallowgate, but it will likely rival Spurs' South Stand. It would, however, make St James' Park the second-highest-capacity stadium in the Premier League. With upwards of 20,000 fans allegedly on the waiting list for season tickets, it's no surprise to see such a high-capacity figure talked about.
Fan vote could be key to Newcastle's new stadium plans
A fan vote was sent out to Newcastle fans earlier in 2024 to get a general vibe of what fans wanted. While it wasn't a binding vote, it did give the club an idea of what the fans wanted. We never knew the verdict of the vote; however, on November 20, at a ‘secret' event at the St James' Park Stack, more details emerged. The event included the club's CEO, sporting director, and club CCO.
According to sources at the event, it was implied by those on stage that while the club had two options – redevelop St. James' Park or build a new stadium – fan opinion had shifted towards a new stadium.
This was backed up by a vote at the Stack, which also included online votes, and was indeed in favour of a Newcastle new stadium option. It was also stated that, regardless, the club would “have to consider a new stadium“, due to PSR concerns.
One of the club staff also confirmed on stage that “if a new stadium is built, it will be close to St. James' Park.”
One thing that's never been clear is what would happen to St. James' Park if a new stadium was to be built.
Final decision on stadium project ‘imminent'
Speaking to the “i” in August 2024, Newcastle's new chief operating officer, Brad Miller, revealed that the club's final decision on the next steps for the stadium project is “imminent”. Miller said: “The stadium investment is genuinely a once-in-a-generation opportunity and we want to make sure that we get that right.”
He added: “So, there's a lot for us to think about and that's why we are, maybe frustratingly for people, taking our time to make sure that our next steps are going to be the right ones.”
The report also confirmed that the preference of the club is to renovate St James' Park instead of building a new stadium. However, the existing facility is next to listed buildings, which would cause significant planning challenges.
They also confirmed that the project will cost billions, with the proposed outlay on a new build described as “eye-watering“. A final decision is expected to be communicated to supporters before the autumn.
Feasibility report undertaken
In March 2024, it was revealed that Newcastle's owners had commissioned a feasibility report on St James' Park to determine whether their grand plans for the club's future would be possible at the current stadium.
While the current owners are said to prefer the option of redeveloping St James' Park, they are also scouting out other locations in the city should a brand new stadium in a new location make more sense logistically and financially.
The report stated that two alternative options are to either build a new stadium on the banks of the River Tyne near the city's railways station or knock down the current St James' Park and rebuild a new one in the exact location.
Ultimately, the owners want the new stadium to be multipurpose and almost like a “Wembley of the North,” mirroring Sir Jim Ratcliffe's plans for Old Trafford. They would like it to host concerts, international football matches, and NFL games.
October 2023
Telegraph Sport reported on 6 October 2023 that plans have begun to expand the stadium's capacity to 65,000 by adding 13,000 seats to the Gallowgate Stand and the East Stand.
While work is at a very early stage, with consultations being had with specialist architects on how to expand the stadium, cost and a timeframe are also a concern.
The plan, in theory, is to make the East Stand and Gallowgate Stand as big as the Milburn Stand and the Leazes Stand. However, this has complications, as the East Stand is quite close to some listed buildings just behind it.
Are there any problems with St. James' Park renovation plans?
Yes, in addition to the proximity of listed buildings, there is also residential housing, whose occupants are unlikely to let their homes be demolished. Building upwards would also cause a problem, as all-natural light to those houses would be blocked if any new stand was built there. All options will need to be considered to find a suitable solution for all.
While plans for the expansion of the East Stand are still being discussed, the Gallowgate Stand is an easier proposition. The club has already bought the land behind it, although this was used to create a fan zone. It was opened ahead of the 2024/25 season and has a capacity of 3,000.
When will work begin?
There is no definite timeframe for construction, but the club is committed to progressing off the field as it is seemingly doing on the field. This makes commercial sense because the demand for match-day tickets far exceeds supply. It is expected that a decision on whether to build a new stadium or expand St James' Park will be made before the autumn.
We appear to be approaching that moment extremely quickly. In a recent interview, Newcastle chief operating officer Brad Miller explained that the club was preparing to write a “really big cheque” once the St. James' Park feasibility report was completed, which is expected to happen very soon.
How much is St James' Park renovation likely to cost?
According to the i, the stadium project will “stretch into the billions.”
The unique challenges to St James' Park, such as light problems, listed buildings, and residential housing, add significantly to the overall cost.
That shouldn't be a problem for the club, who are funded by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF). Upon their 2021 takeover, this group insisted they had no direct connection to the Saudi Arabian state, but reports have cast significant doubt on those claims.
There is a split in Newcastle's support over the attitude towards their new owners. After the dire years under Mike Ashley's stewardship, the free-spending and good mood can be hard not to get caught up in.
But there are many who oppose the way their club is now being used as a vehicle for sportswashing by the Saudi Arabian state, who have allegedly committed significant breaches of human rights, including the 2018 murder of outspoken journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
What a St James’ Park rebuild could look like
The possible St James’ Park rebuild would see the East and South stands expanded to add 10,000 seats, taking the overall capacity at Newcastle’s stadium to over 60,000. This would cost around £1 billion, though, as it would also involve the modernisation of both the Milburn Stand and the Leazes End.
How big is St James' Park now?
With a capacity of 52,000, Newcastle's stadium is the seventh-largest in the Premier League.
Their position in these rankings has dramatically fallen in the last few years, with West Ham, Manchester City, and Tottenham Hotspur all usurping the Geordies with their stadium moves, renovations, and new builds, respectively.
A projected capacity of 65,000 – although the problems outlined above may mean this isn't possible – would take St James' Park second in English club football, behind only Manchester United's Old Trafford.
What are the four stands at St James' Park?
The Gallowgate End is the south stand of the stadium. It is named Gallowgate because the town is associated with the old Gallows and the club has sponsorship connections with Scottish and Newcastle Breweries.
The North Stand is known as the Leazes End, as it is right beside Leazes Park. This is where the singing section of Newcastle fans can usually be found.
The Milburn Stand is west of the ground and is named after Jackie Milburn, a footballer who played for the club in the 1950s.
The East Stand is fairly self-explanatory, name-wise! It is the smallest of all the stands. There are plans to rename it the Sir Bobby Robson Stand, but this has not officially been recognised yet.
St James' Park iconic atmosphere
St. James’ Park ROARS after the full-time whistle! #NEWARS pic.twitter.com/i0BYsMWkOV
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) November 4, 2023
St James’ Park tonight is just unbelievable
(? Credit: @WhitleyBirder) pic.twitter.com/RN0ROSMqD2
— NUFC360 (@NUFC360) October 7, 2021
The game was over for PSG before it even started. #NUFC
St. James’ Park rocking in what is considered the best atmosphere in 2024 UCL! ⚪️⚫️pic.twitter.com/yqBzbDTNFp
— FtblJoe (@FtblJoe) March 26, 2024
Previous St James' Park upgrades
Built in 1892, St James' Park has always been the home of Newcastle United.
The last time it went under any renovation was in 1998 after a failed attempt to move the club from St James' Park. The initial plan was to build a 55,000 all-seater stadium, similar to the San Siro, up north at Leazes Park. The Newcastle fans were not happy, and after realising the project would never happen, they turned to plan B.
Plan B was to expand their current stadium to over 52,000 in capacity. To do this, the Milburn Stand was to undergo major construction. Executive boxes in the East Stand were also demolished, allowing new seats. The excusable boxes were transferred to the new Milburn/Leazes stand.
The project took two years to build and cost £42 million. It was completed in July 2000, with a new roof added right at the end of construction.
The stadium has a 52,000 capacity and is currently England's eighth largest football stadium.
Option to build new Newcastle stadium
There is also the option for Newcastle to build a completely new stadium and move away from St James’ Park. One site that has been discussed is the Leazes Park area, which is in the Newcastle city centre.
The club is also exploring alternative sites, but any new facility could cost up to £3 billion and require significant planning permission. The final decision on whether to stay at St James’ Park or build a new stadium elsewhere will be made in early- 2025.