Manchester City had hoped their biggest games of the season would be played in front of an even bigger crowd at the Etihad Stadium.
But with March already well underway, there is still uncertainty surrounding when the new North Stand will finally open.
Why is there doubt over the North Stand timeline at the Etihad?
At the start of the campaign, City were optimistic that the North Stand expansion at the Etihad Stadium would be completed by January. The project will add more than 7,000 seats and take the ground’s capacity beyond 60,000.
That target has now passed. An FAQ on the club’s website states the stand is “due to open before the end of the season”, although no firm date has been confirmed.
Test events will be required to take place before it can fully open, with upcoming big-game encounters against Real Madrid and Arsenal looking set to come too soon for the additional fan boost.
There are visible signs of progress. All seats have been installed, and protective coverings are expected to be removed imminently, with construction edging closer to completion. Yet beyond the physical build, questions remain about the character of the stand and what impact it will truly have.
There is also the introduction of a new hospitality space, City Hall, behind the goal. With premium pricing likely, some supporters fear empty seats at key moments could undermine the very atmosphere the expansion aims to enhance.
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There is little doubt that the expansion will strengthen City commercially and increase capacity for major nights. But atmosphere is about identity as much as numbers.
Until there is clarity over who will fill those seats and how the space is structured, the North Stand’s true impact at Man City will remain an open question.