It has been almost nine years since Crystal Palace first announced plans to expand Selhurst Park back in 2017, but the ball seems to finally be rolling on the club's redevelopment plans.
The Eagles' co-owner and chairman, Steve Parish has mentioned in multiple interviews that construction work on the ground's new Main Stand is set to get underway in January 2026.
Speaking to TalkSport, Parish said: “It's an absolute must, everyone in the shareholder group is committed to it. Hopefully, in January, fans will start to see things happening,” Parish said.
“Power stations are being moved, dressing rooms are being built, a lot has been happening behind the scenes. The visible work, such as demolitions, will start in January,” the Palace chairman reassured.
The club's head-honcho then reaffirmed January as the start date and spoke on the Londoners' ambition with The Athletic: “We’re trying to develop all areas of the club. We’re not a sovereign state; this is people’s money.
“It has to make some kind of rational sense to do it. If you look at the round of what we’re achieving as a club, facilities, the stadium will start in January, with people seeing holes dug in the ground, it is a lot.
“If anyone thinks we should just do one or the other (invest in either the squad or the infrastructure), they are wrong.
“We need to develop all elements of the club and be a destination for players, not somewhere some players see as a stepping stone.”
Why did the Selhurst Park expansion take so long?
A major cause of delay in the Selhurst Park expansion project was the need to reach an agreement with Sainsbury’s to purchase a small section of its car park. The deal, reportedly worth several million pounds, took time to finalise.
Another challenge involved rehousing residents on Wooderson Close, whose homes needed to be demolished for the new Main Stand, though the issue has now been resolved, with residents relocated to new homes.
There was also debate around what the best way to go about the reconstruction of the Main Stand was. Initially, the club wanted to build on top of the current Main Stand to avoid a significant capacity reduction, but due to costs, the powers-that-be decided that a demolition of the current stand was necessary.
Timeline for Selhurst Park completion
The redevelopment is expected to take more than two years, with completion likely during the 2026/27 season, as the club looks to demolish the current Main Stand and rebuild it entirely from scratch.
This approach will temporarily reduce the stadium’s capacity but will cost far less than the initial £200m proposal to build the new structure over the existing stand.
The project comes at an exciting time for the Eagles, who lifted their first-ever major trophy by defeating Manchester City in the 2025 FA Cup final, before adding the Community Shield to their cabinet months later.
FGG Says
This long-awaited project feels like the start of a new era for Crystal Palace. After years of persistence, the redevelopment could transform Selhurst Park into a modern, fan-friendly ground that reflects the club’s ambitions.
For supporters, it is about progress, pride, and Palace’s growing status. The combination of recent on-field success and the upcoming rebuild signals brighter days ahead in South London.
