Anfield capacity increased: Where does it rank among largest Premier League grounds?

As part of Fenway Sports Group's plans to boost revenues, Liverpool have spent tens of millions in recent years to significantly raise the capacity of the club's iconic home, Anfield.

Rather than move into a new stadium like city-neighbours Everton, the Reds began a multi-stage redevelopment project to expand the ground's existing stands, the first part of which was completed in 2016, when the Main Stand took the venue's capacity from 45,362 to 54,167.

FSG then followed that up a number of years later with the modernisation and expansion of the Anfield Road Stand, plans for which were announced back in 2021.

The majority of the work to install an additional 7,000 seats to the stadium – 5,200 of which were designated for general admission and 1,800 for hospitality – was intended to be completed in the summer of 2023, but the timeline slipped due to the originally contracted construction company entering administration, and progress was delayed until Rayner Rowen were brought onto the reported £80m project.

As a result, the Anfield Road Stand was reopened in part against Manchester United in December 2023 before a full reopening in February 2024 against Burnley, with the expansion only being declared complete in March 2025 after the receiving certification from Liverpool City Council.

After the finalisation of the project earlier this year, Football Ground Guide considers the impact of the Anfield Road expansion, and takes a look at where Liverpool's home ranks amongst Premier League stadiums in terms of capacity in 2025/26.

Anfield new capacity 

As of the beginning of the 2025/26 Premier League season, Liverpool's current capacity is 61,276. Their highest-ever Premier League attendance was registered last season in a match against Ipswich, when 60,420 fans turned up to cheer on the Reds.

The current capacity is still lower than Anfield's all-time record attendance, though. This was achieved during an FA Cup game against Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1952, when 61,905 fans were inside the ground.

Has the Anfield expansion had an impact on the atmosphere?

Despite the positives of an increased capacity, some match-going Liverpool fans have had complaints about how the atmosphere inside the stadium has dwindled, particularly during league matches deemed of less importance. Adding more corporate areas is said to have made Anfield more sanitised, which is detrimental to what made the ground famous in the first place.

The latest expansion to the Anfield Road Stand has only made these complaints louder, with some fans claiming that fans in the newly expanded area aren't interested in helping to generate the famous Anfield atmosphere.

Club captain Virgil van Dijk has taken steps himself to try to return the atmosphere at Anfield to its previous levels. The centre-back, who all Liverpool supporters adore, began asking Liverpool fans to wear red again for home games at the end of the 2024/25 season.

Van Dijk’s message was certainly heard by fans, with Anfield becoming a sea of red for the club’s Premier League title lift in May, and while this has unfortunately not continued in the same manner this season, it could be something the club revisits for big matches towards the end of the campaign.

Much talk of lack of atmosphere at Anfield yesterday. Is the expansion with main focus on hospitality suites and commercialisation to blame for the lack of atmosphere?. Some say the atmosphere was equally flat vs. Brentford??

— theKop1952 (@theKop1952) September 15, 2024

Could Anfield capacity increase in future?

Every football club aims to expand its stadium to make more money from ticket sales and to enhance the game-day atmosphere. Liverpool are no exception, but whether they will make any further changes to Anfield in the immediate future remains to be seen.

According to the club's CEO, Billy Hogan, there are no plans for additional expansions right now, but with several other clubs in the Premier League amid changes, the club could reconsider if such a move is structurally possible.

There are a few challenges when it comes to expanding Anfield further. One key issue is that any additional expansion could create even more traffic problems in the area, which are already significant. Another concern is that the Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand can't be expanded much more due to limited space, unless the club relocates nearby homes, which has been a controversial topic in the past.

While some fans dream of enlarging the famous Kop Stand, expanding it poses logistical issues since it’s close to roads and local shops. Any plans to make it bigger would disrupt the lives of locals, something that is far from ideal for a stadium that's woven into a working-class area of a working-class city.

Another issue with expanding the Kop is that you could lose what makes it so special. If it became bigger, then you are only increasing the chances of non-passionate supporters snagging tickets. There is also a chance the acoustics could be impacted.

In summary, while everyone wants Anfield to grow, further expansion isn’t easy and perhaps illogical given the potential drawbacks.

Anfield capacity: Where does it rank among PL grounds?

With Anfield now boasting a capacity north of 61,000, where does it sit in the list of Premier League stadiums in terms of capacity?

1. Manchester United – 75,653
2. West Ham – 62,500
3. Tottenham – 62,062
4. Liverpool – 61,276
5. Arsenal – 60,704
6. Manchester City – 55,097
7. Everton – 52,769
8. Newcastle – 52,338
9. Sunderland – 48,707
10. Aston Villa – 42,660
11. Chelsea – 41,798
12. Leeds – 37,645
13. Wolves – 31,700
14. Brighton – 30,750
15. Nottingham Forest – 30,576
16. Crystal Palace – 26,074
17. Fulham – 25,678
18. Burnley – 21,994
19. Brentford – 17,250
20. Bournemouth – 11,464

Due to the ever-changing landscape in the world of football stadia, Anfield is unlikely to stay fourth for long. Arsenal are currently weighing up a potential expansion at the Emirates Stadium, while Man City’s North Stand expansion will take the Etihad over 60,000.

Newcastle’s potential move to Leazes Park would add their stadium capacity north of 70,000, too. Meanwhile, Chelsea are also continuing to flirt with the idea of moving away from Stamford Bridge to a new, bigger home.

FGG says: An iconic stadium for decades to come

In the era of new stadiums, it's always good to see an iconic stadium standing the test of time. With the expansion of the Anfield Road Stand at Anfield, it at least looks like Liverpool will be staying at the legendary stadium for a while yet.