Newcastle's future at St James' Park has been the subject of significant speculation ever since the club were bought by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) in 2021.
The powers-that-be within the Newcastle hierarchy have reportedly gone back and forth between expanding St James' Park and moving to a new site, specifically at Leazes Park, over the last four years, and the latest update from the project suggests that we won't have a definitive answer on the club's long-term future this year.
Decision on new Newcastle stadium delayed until 2026
According to an interview in Football Insider with football finance expert Dr Dan Plumley, Newcastle won't have a new stadium or an improved St James' Park until at least 2030. Explaining why, Dr Plumley said:
“I think the plans for Newcastle, we know they’ve been paused a couple of times. It’s unlikely there’ll be a decision until next year in 2026, and then you’ve got the build time and things like that.
“Let’s say at the very earliest, that’s something that’s not going to be completed until probably 2030, 2031, even on a quick turnaround.
“The thing they’ve got in the immediate future to kind of soften that a little bit is they have still got high attendances and are one of the biggest brands in English football, even as it is. And at the minute, they’ve got Champions League revenue to boost overall revenue.”
🚨BREAKING🚨
— Dominic Scurr (@DomScurr) November 12, 2025
🏟️Newcastle United's St James' Park will host FIVE matches at Euro 2028, UEFA have confirmed.
📅Four group games on 12.06, 15.06, 17.06 and 20.06.
+ One last-16 game on 25.06.
🏙️Newcastle is one of eight host cities for the tournament. pic.twitter.com/2TZlEFCpz0
Newcastle are stuck until after Euro 2028
After being confirmed as a host stadium for the European Championships in 2028, Newcastle are limited as to what they can do over the next two-and-a-half years.
While some other host stadiums, including Villa Park and the Etihad Stadium, are undergoing renovations before the tournament, the timescales of those projects are already set in stone. Newcastle are yet to even confirm their long-term stadium plans, and UEFA would likely push back on any plans submitted now due to the close proximity of the tournament.
The last thing European football's governing body wants is a stadium surrounded by scaffolding during their flagship tournament. Therefore, Newcastle will have to leave St James' Park as it is for the next two years.
FGG says: A new stadium still feels like the most likely resolution
Earlier this year, reliable reports in the UK media stated that the Newcastle board had committed to building a new stadium at Leazes Park. Although official confirmation never came, this still feels like the most likely route the club will go down due to the logistical issues involved with expanding St James' Park.