Amidst an ongoing series of crises at Everton in the last half-decade, the club has been literally laying the groundwork for an incredible new stadium that it hopes will define a renewed era of success.
But why are Everton leaving Goodison Park, how much will the move cost, what will the capacity be and when will the Everton new stadium opening date be?
Football Ground Guide offers the answers to all these questions in this regularly update guide.
What’s the latest with Everton’s new stadium?
Contents
November 2024: Recruitment drive
With reality beginning to set in that football is going to be played at the new stadium in less than a year, Everton have started a large recruitment drive for new stewards. The Bramley-Moore Dock stadium will have 11,000 more seats than Goodison Park but they are planning on doubling their number of stewards.
In addition to the extra stewards needed inside stadium, the club are looking to employ stewards that will be based outside of the stadium, particularly for when non-football events are staged at the stadium such as concerts.
The plan is to get these new stewards on board by January 2025 so that they can all familiarise themselves with the stadium and security protocol in plenty of time before the first match here in August 2025.
October 2024: New stadium features announced
With the stadium nearing completion, some of the finishing touches are now being finalised. One of the latest things to be announced is a new commemorative ‘fan wall' that will be erected outside the stadium to celebrate legends from the past.
The new wall will feature artwork of Everton players who have stood out from the crowd while representing the club over the years and will become an area well worth a visit for fans before home matches at the new stadium.
Some of the players who will feature on the artwork include Dixie Dean, the man who once scored 60 goals in a season, and the holy trinity of Alan Ball, Howard Kendall and Colin Harvey. More recent legends, such as Tim Cahill and Seamus Coleman, will also be featured.
October 2024: Friedkin Group edge closer to Everton takeover
🚨 BREAKING: The Friedkin Group reaches total agreement to buy Everton. TFG purchasing all Farhad Moshiri shares + investing to reduce club debt. Moshiri accepted best deal for #EFC. Approval process ~12wk. Secures financial stability/future @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/iuodV3V47U
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) September 23, 2024
The takeover chaos at Everton feels as though it has been a topic of discussion forever and there have been numerous red herrings for the club's fans. However, it has now been reported that the Friedkin Group have agreed a deal with all relevant parties regarding their purchase of a majority stake in Everton. At long last Toffees fans, this is finally happening.
In a joint statement released by the group, they said: “We are focused on securing the necessary approvals to complete the transaction. We look forward to providing stability to the club and sharing our vision for its future, including the completion of the new Everton Stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.”
While new ownership will inevitably leave some su[pporters feeling worried, anxious perhaps, about what an uncertain future may bring, there is, at the very least, one positive. The Friedkin Group share the same desires as the fans regarding the completion of Everton's new stadium. And that can only be a good thing.
September 2024: The final piece of the jigsaw is completed
Water is now flowing again from the west of the stadium after 17,000 cubic metres of sand was dug up. The sand was originally used to fill up the dock to allow construction work to take place at the stadium but this has now been replaced with water to allow the surrounding docks to once again connect with each other and the Leeds-Liverpool canal.
The addition of the waterfront provides the stadium with a stunning backdrop and makes it appear like completion is imminent. While Everton won't play in the stadium until next season, excitement is building.
Summer 2024: Failed takeover talks cause financial uncertainty
At the end of 2023, Farhad Moshiri revealed that he was looking to sell the club. This put the future of the new stadium in doubt as it was suddenly unclear who would be paying for it with Moshiri looking for a way out.
In September, he agreed on a deal with 777 Partners, however, this deal fell through in June 2024, causing the club to “assess all options” for the future of the ownership. In the period that the 777 group looked to take over Everton, they loaned £200m to help club costs, including finances for the stadium development.
On 14 June, Everton announced that they had agreed a deal with The Friedkin Group to sell the majority stake. During the period of exclusivity, the group injected £200m into the Premier League club, as well as a £158m loan to MSP Sports Capital.
However, a month later, these talks also broke down, due to complications around paying off the club's debt and the legal action facing 777 in the US, who have been accused of a “fraudulent scheme”.
The Guardian reported on 23 July that the loan received from The Friedkin Group would not result in Everton facing any significant issues in the short-term.
While the short-term future of the club looks secure, there are still many issues concerning finding a buyer in the long-term. Notably, potential buyers are put off by the £200m loan by the 777 Group due to their ongoing legal issues and inability to repay the money.
In September 2024, a year after the club first went up for sale, American businessman, John Textor, was given exclusivity in his bid. If all goes well, Textor will be the club' new owner in the coming months and he has the funds to ensure the stadium is completed on time.
Cladding specialists file for administration
On March 19, 2024, it was reported that Alucraft Systems Ltd, who installed the curtain walling, aluminium rainscreen and composite cladding on the South elevation of the new stadium had filed an administration notice.
The company are one of four businesses who make up the Clarison Group of cladding specialists. Grant Prior reported for Construction Enquirer that the other three businesses are all profitable unlike Alucraft Systems Ltd.
For the year up to December 31, 2022, the cladding business had a turnover of £18.7 million, while generating a pre-tax loss of £5.7 million. This included the employment of 82 staff members.
‘Progress really is rattling along’ – Mark Douglas of the i provides behind-the-scenes update
Mark Douglas of the i provided a fresh update on the progress of the new stadium located at Bramley-Moore Dock.
Douglas said: “Progress really is rattling along. As of the start of this week 30,000 blue seats have been laid, turnstiles are in place, glass has been installed all around the magnificent South Stand and even the cavernous space for the home dressing room has been cored out. There are 1,200 people working on the site on the day we visit and it has been that way since January.”
Part of the design is a “barrel roof” designed to keep fans as close to the pitch as possible. Everton have been keen on replicating the intense atmosphere of Goodison Park at the new stadium. A club employee told Douglas, “On those big game nights it’s going to be an absolute bearpit.”
Bramley Dock workers go on strike
In January 2024, 150 electricians effectively went on strike on the project and walked away from the Bramley Dock site in a dispute over pay.
The workers have reportedly walked away from the project as they believe they aren't being paid a fair rate while they also claim to have been shortchanged on overtime with work ramping up on the project as Everton look to get the stadium ready for the beginning of the 2025/26 season.
Talking to the local newspaper, the Liverpool Echo, one of the striking electricians said on Wednesday 24 January that calls for a pay rise had been “ignored” and that the walkout was workers “taking a stand.” Another electrician added:
“We are the most skilled trade on the site but are paid the least. We want to see a fair uplift in our pay. A substantial number of colleagues walked off the site today. We are local, skilled tradesmen. We just want to support our families. We are giving our blood and guts to the stadium site.
“We are walking off the site at 3.30pm as that is when we have worked our legal eight hours. We are doing everything correctly. We are human beings in a skilled job, we want to be paid correctly.”
Everton are yet to respond to the walkout out although they will want a swift resolution to ensure there are no further delays to the stadium build. The club have already officially announced that the 2024/25 season will be their last at Goodison Park.
Inside Everton's new stadium
Why are Everton leaving Goodison Park?
So, why leave? Well, there is a genuine lack of comfort for supporters, players, and the media at Goodison Park. In addition, there's a lack of corporate facilities at Goodison Park. Everton take home less money from their corporate facilities than any other club in the Premier League does, something which the owners of Everton are desperate to change. The move to their new stadium will bring in more money from sponsorship deals and corporate seats. Supporters will hope this additional income will be reinvested in the playing squad.
Furthermore, there is little to no room for expansion at Goodison Park itself due to the ground being sandwiched between terraced housing in the city.
What's the location of the new Everton stadium?
Everton's new stadium will be situated just over two miles away from Goodison Park, and it'll be on the banks of the River Mersey at Bramley Moore Dock.
The location is a former commercial dock and the whole area is expected to be transformed thanks to Everton's move, with new shops and housing.
Cost of Everton new stadium
Designed by MEIS Architects and Pattern Architects, the Everton Stadium – as it will officially be known to begin with – is being built by Dartford-based construction company, Laing O’Rourke. The estimated cost for the stadium is around £500m.
In January 2020, Everton announced that they had agreed naming rights with USM worth a reported £30m. USM already sponsor Everton’s training ground, Finch Farm. Later on it was also announced that the club would seek out help from major international banks, JP Morgan and MUFG to help secure the finance to ensure the stadium would be built.
In 2022, the club then went on to announce that Liverpool City Council would not be offering a loan to the club to help with the build.
In September 2023, Everton received a £100m loan from MSP Sports Capital to help fund the new stadium build.
What will happen to Goodison Park?
Goodison Park will be demolished shortly after the end of the 2023/24 stadium and a new affordable housing estate will take its place. Before the stadium is demolished, the club have organised a ‘Farewell to Goodison' festival that will take place at the end of the current season.
Across three nights from May 30 to June 1, a series of concerts will take place at the stadium while former legends of the club will also make an appearance to bid farewell to the iconic stadium.
What are the plans for the Everton new stadium?
The Everton stadium will have a steel and glass bowl design. The plans have been much lauded for their design qualities, which intend to complement the architecture of the old dock buildings surrounding the site.
One of the key aspects of the new ground is something called ‘ALL'. Quite what this is remains a little unclear beyond PR speak. In essence, it seems to be a new program offering a wide choice of social spaces, such as pubs, bars and restaurants.
Everton new stadium capacity
As for capacity, the bowl will be able to seat 52,888 and will have a one-tier stand similar to that at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium inspired by Borussia Dortmund’s Yellow Wall. This stand will hold approximately 13,000 spectators.
🎥 | The interior of the west stand continues to evolve, with rooms, corridors and concourses taking shape on all three levels. 🏟️ https://t.co/IFu5EuiVFr
— Everton Stadium (@EvertonStadium) June 2, 2023
Everton new stadium opening date
The Everton Stadium is set to be completed midway through the 2024/25 season, but they will move into their new home at the start of the 2025/26 season.
Other key takeaways
- South Stand terrace is 330ft high, which takes more than 100 steps to get to the very top of the bowl.
- South Stand has a “Long Bar” which overlooks the river.
- Tunnel club being built into the West Stand designed for hospitality packages that will be sold on a game-by-game basis.
- Fan plaza in East Stand – Allows club to hold music events in the off-season.
- Stadium is being built on a World Heritage site, so the design allows it to be dismantled/returned to a working dock if that is required in the future.
- Stadium’s most expensive seats cost £50,000 per season for a pair.