Making changes to stadiums is always a risky game with long time supporters. That's especially true when the stadium you're adapting has been around for 125 years. Well, the Craven Cottage redevelopment is doing exactly that. Here we take a look at the history, the process and the future of Fulham football club.
Why change the existing Craven Cottage?
Contents
Now they are an established Premier League outfit once again, Fulham are looking to grow their brand image as all the top clubs now do. At the moment, Craven Cottage falls short in terms of stadium size despite its undeniable charm and superb location.
Before the Craven Cottage redevelopment got underway, the stadium only held 25,678. Of the current Premier League sides, that capacity puts it at number 16. In fact, there are several clubs limping along in the Championship and League One with bigger stadiums.
How long has the Craven Cottage redevelopment been planned?
Although the Riverside stand overhaul is a complex task owing to the close proximity of the River Thames, things have actually progressed at quite an alarming rate. Fulham owner, Shahid Khan, first announced the Craven Cottage redevelopment in May 2019.
One thing that nobody can dispute is Khan's commitment to getting the new stand erected. He first cited his ambition for the Riverside redevelopment back in 2013 and he's even had to pen a deal with the council confirming he will fund any work that may be needed to support the nearby river wall.
What will the new stand be like?
The new Riverside Stand will increase the capacity at Craven Cottage by 3,900 seats. It will tower over the other stands at the stadium and could potentially help to build a more ferocious atmosphere inside the small stadium.
Based on artist impressions and plans released by the club, the stand will primarily be all about hospitality. Some of the hospitality plans for the new Riverside Stand are grand, to say the least with one package including a rooftop swimming pool.
Speaking about the pool that is set to be installed in December 2024, Tom Cairney (via TalkSport) said: “I don't know, maybe the injured players will be watching the game from the swimming pool! I don't know about that, but maybe if we get a big win or get to a final, then we can all jump in the pool, that'd be nice. In our kits!”
Fulham chairman Shahid Khan, said: “My vision was to provide our fans, and our neighbourhood, with a destination that would continue to honour our history and tradition at Craven Cottage every day of the year, but especially on matchdays.
“It isn't about finally being able to offer a higher standard of hospitality options that have essentially been unavailable to Fulham supporters until now. It's about offering the ultimate matchday hospitality experience in the world that will also benefit the long-term promise and future of Fulham Football Club.
“The new Riverside Stand at Craven Cottage will make it possible.”
When will the new Riverside Stand fully open?
Over the past five years, the stand has been stripped down and rebuilt, but the club believe that it will finally be ready at some point during the 2024/25 season. The new Riverside Stand includes five levels, which you can view on the club's interactive map here.
The top three levels, named the “Sky Deck” are set to open in December 2024, which includes a rooftop terrace and the eagerly anticipated swimming pool. Restaurants on lower levels such as ‘The Gourmet’, ‘The Brasserie’ and ‘The Originals’ will provide world-class food cooked by Michelin star chefs and will open in the same month.
The other hospitality facilities, namely the ‘Thames Bar Room’ and ‘Matchday Plus’, will also open in December, while ‘The Dugout' was officially opened for the first home match of the 2024/25 season in August. Fans in ‘The Dugout’ will be seated behind the coaching staff of both teams.
August 2024 update on new Riverside Stand
Ahead of Fulham's first home game of the season against Leicester City, the club announced that the next stage of the Riverside Stand development was set to begin. Turnstiles at both ends of the ground were opened for supporters located in the new stand, as well as a new ticket office at the Bishop's Park. Fulham said:
“Supporters seated in The Riverside will now be able to enter from either end of the ground, along the river walkway, with the Hammersmith river walk turnstiles continuing to operate as per the last two seasons and the Bishop’s Park entrance opening for the first time.
“Access to The Riverside from Bishop’s Park can be gained by following the river walk path.”
As well as this, the Riverside opened at 12pm, an hour before the other stands, with pints of beer and soft drinks on offer for £1 and 50p, respectively, until 2pm. The ground floor of the new facility was also upgraded ahead of the first home match of the 2024/25 season, with new kiosks and bars added.
On 6 September, the club announced that seasonal hospitality in the Riverside Stand was available. Guests can now enquire for a place in the different hospitality spaces on the club's website.
Explore The Riverside! 🌟
Seasonal Hospitality in the Riverside Stand is available. 🏟️
— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) September 6, 2024