New Old Trafford: Latest updates on key INEOS project

In 2024, Manchester United announced that they had created a new task force to explore options for a new Old Trafford. At the heart of the plans were proposals to either completely renovate Old Trafford or to demolish it and build a new stadium on the same land.

The Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force features local and national figures as new co-owners, INEOS, look to not only develop the club's stadium but the surrounding area, too. The task force is chaired by Lord Seb Coe, a key figure behind London's 2012 Olympic bid, and its members include Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, Sara Todd, Chief Executive of Trafford Council, and Gary Neville.

New Old Trafford – Latest updates

Man Utd consider new design

Manchester United are reportedly considering a new design for their new stadium due to the ongoing issues with the local freight company (more on that below). To cut a long story short, the club and the freight company are worlds apart in terms of valuation on the land that United need to build the stadium they presented earlier this year.

As a result, new designs are now reportedly being drafted up, which won't include the huge canopy that was going to drape over the stadium. The club's logic is that without the canopy, the club won't need as much land from the freightliner, which should mean a cheaper deal and construction work beginning sooner.

The new designs are yet to be shared with the public, but the news that the canopy could be no more has gone down well with supporters. When the concept art was released, many fans felt that the canopy made the stadium look like a circus tent, something the club wouldn't want to portray given their recent form on the pitch.

Freight company gives Ratcliffe a headache

While Man Utd's plans for a new stadium are still very much alive, they have hit a major snag as a local landowner is playing hardball over a piece of land that the club needs.

Freighliner, a freight company which owns the train terminal next to Old Trafford, is reportedly demanding £400m for the land, but Sir Jim Ratcliffe only values it at £40m.

To get over this gap in valuation, the club may need to call on the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, to force through a sale, something he is able to do.

In a recent radio interview, Burnham confirmed that he would be prepared to do exactly that should Freightliner not become more reasonable in negotiations.

Manchester United reveal plans for new stadium

In March 2025, Manchester United went public with their plans to build a brand-new stadium on the land next door to their current stadium at Old Trafford. The decision to leave Old Trafford was far from an easy one but the club feel it is what's necessary to help move them forward.

As part of the announcement, a promotional video was released in addition to a string of concept images, which show what the new stadium and surrounding area could look like once completed. The most striking part of the design are the three tridents that will rise from the sky over the stadium.

The new stadium has been designed by world-renowned architect, Lord Norman Foster and the overall cost is estimated to be close to £2bn. The plan at this stage is for the stadium to be completed by May 2025, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe keen to get construction started as soon as possible.

Many Manchester United fans have been left disappointed by the decision to leave Old Trafford, with a lot of supporters naturally having an emotional connection to the club's spiritual home.

Delay on final decision

Despite reports to the contrary (as seen below), as of January 2025 there has still been no official announcement in relation to whether a new Old Trafford will be built or if the existing ground will be renovated.

A fan survey in November 2024 found that most season ticket holders would prefer a move to a new stadium but there are still logistical concerns which make such a move difficult, not to mention the eye-watering costs involved.

At the back end of 2024, it was reported in the media that the club had decided to delay its final decision to early 2025 despite initially stating they would come to an agreement before Christmas. With the new year now ticking along, an announcement could be just around the corner.

Club leans towards new stadium

In July 2024, reports in the media suggested that the club had decided to build a new stadium instead of redeveloping the existing Old Trafford.

While the official line from the club is that nothing is set in stone, it is understood that they have decided to build a new stadium on the land adjacent to Old Trafford and that confirmation will come before the end of the year.

The reported cost of the new stadium will be around £2bn, which is significantly more than what it would cost to renovate the current Old Trafford. However, the idea of building a new 100,000-seater stadium that would regenerate the area has proven too tempting to turn down.

The club believe that they will be able to carry on playing at Old Trafford while the stadium is built next door, negating the need to find a temporary home.

It is understood that if the club had chosen to renovate the existing stadium then the capacity would have temporarily been slashed to 40,000 which would have caused a serious dent in matchday revenue. Meanwhile, it would have left several thousand season ticket holders unable to watch United every other week.

Club officials have been visiting several top stadiums around the world in recent months including the Bernabeu in Madrid. However, they are said to have been most impressed by the Sofi Stadium in Los Angeles and that it will be the inspiration for the new Old Trafford.

Early reports suggest the new stadium will be built in time for 2030.

Ratcliffe is driving change already

The ultimate aim is to build a new stadium that can not only act as a home to Man Utd but also one that can host international games and cup finals with Sir Jim Ratcliffe keen on making Old Trafford the “Wembley of the north”.

Earlier this year, Ratcliffe explained why the task force had been set up. He said:

“This can be a major regeneration project for an area of Greater Manchester which has played such a key role in British industrial history, but which today requires new investment to thrive again. The north-west of England has a greater concentration of major football clubs than anywhere else in the world, yet we don’t have a stadium on the scale of Wembley, the Nou Camp or the Bernabéu.

“We will not be able to change that on our own, which is why this task force is so important to help us seize this once-in-a-century opportunity.”