Former Everton chief Keith Wyness has voiced concerns around Crystal Palace's proposed redevelopment plans for Selhurst Park.
As reported by Football Insider, Wyness believes approved plans will not be enough for the London club to keep pace with Premier League rivals.
What permission have Crystal Palace received for Selhurst Park plans?
Crystal Palace were first granted planning permission in 2018 for a new main stand, however after delays and complications, final planning approval was received for updated plans from Croydon Council in August 2024.
The approved proposals would allow the Eagles' home to expand from its current capacity of around 25,000 up to approximately 34,000, in a bid to help cope with increased fan demand for tickets.
A winter 2025 update saw chairman Steve Parish advise that works on the expansion would begin in January 2026.
Major issue with stadium plans?
Speaking to Football Insider, Keith Wyness voices his concerns around the long-awaited expansion of Croydon Stadium, namely its modest growth in capacity.
On the Inside Track Podcast, Wyness said: “It’s a big number, but it still only brings them up to about 34,000-35,000, which is not a big number.”
“And that’s the big issue that you’ve got. I mean, just to put this in context, when I was at Everton and we were still in Goodison, and Arsenal built the Emirates, if we took a full Goodison, say on a local derby against Liverpool, Arsenal were still making three quarters of a million pounds more per game than we were and that’s the maximum. That was us maximising the revenue and that didn’t happen every week.
“So at 35,000 seats, you’re still going to be falling behind the bigger clubs continually. Even though you can charge London prices to a great degree at Palace, and they’re definitely going to be improving, you know, VIP and hospitality, etc. Still, I think the costs to build in London and servicing that debt are something that everybody’s got to remember as well.”
FGG says: Concerns are understandable with Crystal Palace on the up
While any news of redevelopments and expansion is bound to be positive for Crystal Palace, Wyness may be right about only a limited growth.
The London club have enjoyed a memorable rise under the management of Oliver Glasner, winning the FA Cup in 2025, their first-ever piece of major silverware, to secure a European campaign in the 2025-26 term, while adding the Community Shield to their trophy cabinet soon after.
It can be said, therefore, that the Eagles could fill a stadium much larger than the expanded 34,000 proposed, however the approved plans are already bound to be tested by planning and land issues around their London home.