Why Everton will struggle to expand Hill Dickinson Stadium as leading architect makes admission

Everton could face a major challenge if they eventually decide to increase the capacity of Hill Dickinson Stadium, with architect Dan Meis admitting that expanding the club's new home would be “very challenging”.

The Toffees moved into the 52,769-capacity stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock for the 2025-26 season, bringing an end to more than a century at Goodison Park. 

The new ground has given Everton a significant increase in capacity and modern facilities, but questions about its potential for future expansion are already emerging.

Meis, who designed the stadium, has now explained why adding several thousand more seats would not be straightforward.

Dan Meis explains why Hill Dickinson Stadium expansion would be difficult

Speaking on the Royal Blue podcast, Meis was asked about the possibility of increasing the capacity of Everton's new home.

“It would be complicated, it's not impossible, partly because of how the roof works and everything, it would be difficult to add seats at the back,” he said.

The architect also explained that the unusual shape of one end of the stadium was partly dictated by the restrictions of the Bramley-Moore Dock site.

“I get asked this a lot, ‘why the kind of cut on the North End', but we were up against the site constraint, of the neighbouring properties,” Meis added.

“Not impossible to add a few thousand seats, but it would be very challenging.”

The comments provide a significant insight into the limitations built into a stadium that was designed with the surrounding site in mind. 

Meis previously explained that the project had to balance Everton's desire for increased capacity with the constraints of the waterfront location.

Hill Dickinson Stadium was ultimately delivered with a capacity of 52,769, more than 12,000 higher than Goodison Park's capacity.

Do Everton have plans to expand their new stadium?

There is currently no confirmed project to increase the capacity of Hill Dickinson Stadium, despite previous reports suggesting Everton's owners could examine the possibility in the future.

A 2024 report by The Athletic indicated that there was potential for expansion on the eastern side of the stadium, although such work would come at considerable cost.

For now, Everton's focus has been on establishing their new home and developing its wider commercial potential rather than immediately adding more seats.

The stadium has been designed as a year-round venue capable of hosting sporting events, concerts, business functions and other entertainment, providing Everton with opportunities to generate revenue away from Premier League fixtures.

The surrounding Bramley-Moore Dock area is also part of the wider Liverpool Waters regeneration, meaning Everton's new home is expected to benefit from further development around the waterfront.

FGG Says: Everton's capacity ceiling is not straightforward

Everton's move to Hill Dickinson Stadium already delivered a substantial increase in capacity, but Meis' comments show that a future expansion cannot simply be treated as a case of adding another tier of seats.

The roof design, the shape of the stadium and the constraints created by neighbouring properties would all have to be considered. Meis has made clear that expansion remains technically possible, but adding several thousand seats would be a complicated and expensive undertaking.

For now, there is no concrete expansion project to increase Hill Dickinson Stadium's capacity. Everton therefore have an opportunity to maximise the commercial potential of their new home before deciding whether additional seating is required.