Portman Road redevelopment has been in the news for some time. Now with the Tractor Boys back in the Premier League after a 22-year absence, a lot of changes have happened at their 29,000-seater stadium. Most of the changes at Portman Road happened during the summer of 2024 before the Premier League return.
In this post, we look at the redevelopments that should enable Ipswich to cope with the standards of Premier League football even as they hope for a longer stay in the top flight.
Ipswich to buy land for stadium expansion
While Ipswich are battling against relegation in the 2024/25 Premier League season, the club chairman would love to see Portman Road's capacity reach 40,000. However, they will need another season of Premier League money alone to actualise those plans. It's also worth noting that the longer you stay in the Premier League the longer you are likely to become part of the furniture.
They previously ruled out redevelopment work mid-season in 2024 due to the unrest it would cause. However, with BBC reporting that Ipswich agreed in principle with the local council to buy a large parcel of land behind their stadium, we could see a lot happening starting this coming summer of 2025.
According to the club CEO, acquiring a car park behind the Cobbold Stand would be part of the deal.
Portman Road redevelopment: Expansion of away allocation involved
One of the biggest developments in the summer of 2024 was installing a safe standing area in the Cobbold Stand. This is the part of the stadium where away fans are based on Portman Road, so visiting fans can expect rail seating when they visit Ipswich in the Premier League.
The away allocation inside the Cobbold Stand was increased from 2,000 to 3,000 to comply with Premier League rules on away allocation percentages. As a result, more than 700 Ipswich season ticket holders based in the Cobbold Stand have been moved elsewhere.
Other expansion projects at Portman Road
The floodlights were upgraded at other parts of Portman Road, while a new television studio was built above the control room. Because Ipswich can expect more media and television coverage, the club deemed an updated studio necessary.
Last season, there were five or six cameras at the ground, but according to the club's chief executive Mark Ashton, this is expected to increase to around 47 for this season.
The stadium's West Stand will receive new executive boxes, which are currently being built. When the stadium redevelopment was announced at the start of the summer, this particular project was expected to be completed by mid-August.
Overall, Ipswich had 104 projects to complete at Portman Road in preparation for the 2024/25 Premier League season. The total cost of all of these projects is expected to come to several million pounds, but the Tractor Boys still spent ambitiously in the transfer market, buying the likes of Omari Hutchinson, Jacob Greaves, and Liam Delap and spending over £100m.
In July 2024, Connor Bennett and Jack Maclean of BBC News, Suffolk, said: “While some projects are visible within the stadium, many more are happening behind the scenes.
“This includes revamping the home and away dressing rooms, as well as facilities for officials, plus creating a new media suite for press conferences, upgrading the reception area and creating a new “mixed area” for players and media.”
📰 Ipswich Town Football Club is pleased to announce that a full planning application for development of the Club’s training centre has now been approved.
Work is set to begin imminently. ⤵️
— Ipswich Town (@IpswichTown) March 14, 2025
Ipswich training ground plans approved
While Ipswich training ground falls outside Portman Road redevelopment, it is part of the club's ambitious plans to upgrade its outdated facilities. A training ground upgrade application they submitted in November 2024 has been approved.
This means work at the Playford Road site will begin imminently, but it might take up to 14 months to complete. Club Chairman and CEO Mark Ashton has emphasised the need to continue on the club's progressive path, which he argues will help develop elite players.
An initial £30 for the project will be used to refurbish the Ipswich Academy, the women's team's building and construct a state-of-the-art training facility for the first team.