Why Arsenal could pay more to expand Emirates than to build it

Two decades after making the move from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal are facing a surprising reality – expanding their home could cost more than building it in the first place.

The Gunners are planning to add around 20,000 seats to the Emirates' current 60,704 capacity, taking the stadium beyond the 80,000 mark and making it one of the biggest football venues in Europe.

However, with the project estimated to cost around £500m, Arsenal could end up spending significantly more on expanding the Emirates than the £390m it originally cost to build the stadium.

Why expansion plans could cost £500m

Arsenal originally built the Emirates Stadium to fit a very tight and specific floorplan that was never intended to be expanded upon, with construction focusing on efficiency of space rather than making it easy to redevelop.

Consequently, expanding the Emirates is considerably more challenging than many other stadium redevelopment projects that have taken place across the country, where future expansions would have been factored into the original design.

There are still three ways that Arsenal could expand the Emirates, each requiring extensive and complex work to complete:

1. An extra tier could be added at the top of the stadium, which would require huge structural work and the removal of the Emirates roof for construction.
2. The pitch could be lowered to allow for seats to be added below the current lowest tier, but tube lines and sewers under the stadium would make this particularly difficult.
3. The angle of seats in the currently existing stands could be made steeper, allowing for additional rows of seating to be added.

Not only do these options all provide challenges, already driving up the cost, Arsenal would also have to improve infrastructure factors such as transport, stadium facilities and security if they were to expand the stadium.

Furthermore, the club would have to get local community groups and Islington Council on board with plans, which could require Arsenal paying for further local improvements to ensure they get permission from all parties.

Regardless of such hurdles, the club are reportedly in talks, with Arsenal viewing the potential expansion as a valuable source of future revenue.

FGG Says: Good news for Arsenal fans

Arsenal were crowned Premier League champions for the first time in 22 years this season, and that will certainly increase the demand for tickets at the Emirates Stadium.

As a result, an expansion of 20,000 added seats would surely be welcomed by Arsenal fans, giving more supporters the chance to watch their side, while the club would also be delighted with the added matchday revenue.