As the 20th anniversary of their move from Highbury approaches, Arsenal are reportedly planning to expand the Emirates Stadium beyond its current 60,700 capacity, with the club keen to bolster revenues.
According to The Telegraph, the Gunners are looking to take the ground beyond 70,000 seats in a development that would make the Emirates the largest stadium in the capital, and the second-biggest in the Premier League overall.
At present, Arsenal's home ground ranks as the fifth-largest stadium in the top flight, sitting behind Manchester United’s Old Trafford (74,879), West Ham’s London Stadium (62,850), Spurs' Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (62,500), and Liverpool’s Anfield (61,276).
It has also been suggested that Arsenal could play their home matches at Wembley Stadium while the construction work takes place, following in the footsteps of the Lilywhites and the Hammers, both of whom used the venue during their respective stadium redevelopments.
Emirates to surpass 70,000 capacity
According to The Telegraph, Arsenal plan to expand the Emirates' capacity to beyond 70,000, making it the second-largest stadium in the Premier League and the biggest in London.
The proposed expansion comes as part of the club’s long-term ambition to boost matchday income and accommodate their ever-growing fanbase.
Plans under review suggest that Arsenal could alter the gradient of the stands and redesign the seating layout to accommodate more spectators, while keeping the outer bowl largely unchanged. Most of the construction and modifications would take place inside the existing structure, ensuring the stadium maintains its iconic look and feel.
A larger capacity could generate tens of millions in extra annual revenue and help ease the overwhelming season ticket demand, with the waiting list currently exceeding 100,000 fans.
Arsenal assessing different options within the current 17-acre site
The Emirates is built on a 17-acre site, which sits tightly in a residential area bordered by Tube lines and the Great Northern railway.
While the location limits major structural expansion, the club is already working with architectural experts on how to make the most of what they have.
Since the Emirates opened in 2006, Islington Council has relaxed previous restrictions on building height, meaning Arsenal could technically “raise the roof” if plans progress.
However, there are concerns over the complex challenge of redeveloping in such a constrained area, with three sides hemmed in by residential areas and bordered by both the Northern and Piccadilly Underground lines.
The local infrastructure is also already under significant pressure on matchdays, so increasing the capacity would mean more issues on that front – something the club would have to plan for if they are to go forward with the Emirates redevelopment.
London Mayor issues caution over Emirates expansion plans
Arsenal’s plans to expand the Emirates Stadium have received a note of caution from London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, according to football.london.
While he acknowledged the appeal of the project, Khan highlighted that the club will face several “obstacles” in pushing capacity beyond 70,000, including issues with the local council, surrounding residents and wider planning requirements.
Speaking during a visit to Wembley Stadium for his Violence Reduction Unit initiative, the Mayor emphasised that, although stadium expansion makes commercial sense, gaining approval for such projects is rarely straightforward.
With the Gunners committed to pursuing the expansion, it remains to be seen how the plans will progress and how the club navigates the challenges ahead.
FGG Says
The development highlights Arsenal’s growing commercial strength and ambition to match their expanding global profile.
Successfully managing the Emirates expansion while addressing planning and local considerations will be crucial, and the way the club handles this process could shape both the pace of the project and its long-term impact.