Arsenal could be making a shock move to Wembley Stadium, much like north London rivals Tottenham once did, with brief relocation to the home of English football being considered as part of plans to upgrade Emirates Stadium. The Gunners are looking to expand their current base, with overall capacity being pushed beyond 70,000 and back above old adversaries Spurs.
Emirates Stadium update: Arsenal's grand plans
The Gunners can currently welcome 60,700 supporters through their doors, but many more tickets could be sold for any given Premier League or Champions League matchday. With important revenue generation to think about, in an era of FFP and PSR regulations, Arsenal are mulling over their options when it comes to construction work.
reports that “the club have options to change the gradient of the stands and can also adapt the stadium’s seating plan to fit in more fans, but the outer bowl would remain similar in appearance as the majority of developments being assessed would come inside the ground”. Arsenal’s season card waiting list is said to exceed 100,000 fans.AdvertisementAFPKroenkes involved with $5.5bn SoFi Stadium project
Mikel Arteta’s side would be forced to move out of their current home if grand plans get the green light, as work will be carried out on “almost every part of the stadium rather than just one stand”. It is claimed that the project could cost as much as £500 million ($670m) – with the Emirates only costing £390m ($523m) to construct in its entirety prior to doors being flung open in 2006.
The club’s Kroenke family ownership group are no strangers to elaborate stadium builds, having overseen the construction of SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles – which is home to the Rams and Chargers franchises in the NFL. That venue can house 100,000 spectators and came with a $5.5 billion (£4bn) price tag. It will host eight matches at the 2026 World Cup and the opening ceremony of the 2028 Olympic Games.
Arsenal previously hosted Champions League games at Wembley
Arsenal are not yet at the stage of seeking planning permission, with their several hurdles to overcome there, with ideas merely being floated. That is because they need to continue investing in other areas of the business – including player transfers. It is said that planning could take up to five years to secure, before any minor alterations are factored into the equation.
The Gunners were able to play at Highbury while Emirates Stadium was constructed, but will likely need a temporary home if reconstruction work goes ahead. It is there that Wembley comes in. Spurs crossed north London when building the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, paying the Football Association £15m ($20m) for the right to play at Wembley across almost two years. Arsenal played six Champions League games at that venue during the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 seasons.
AFPTight site but inspiration being taken from Real Madrid
Arsenal have slipped to fifth in the Premier League capacity table and intend to address that issue. They are said to be taking inspiration from the Santiago Bernabeu project that allowed Real Madrid to double their matchday income. The Gunners are, however, restricted in what they can do by the 17-acre site on which the Emirates sits – with residential housing and train stations nearby. It is said that “discussions with architects have been positive about the potential to expand within the existing footprint”.
Adding just one row of seats would allow Arsenal to increase their capacity by 1,000, “while the sloping elliptical roof, which was shaped to help airflow and sunlight could also be modified”. The Telegraph reports on how Arsenal want to produce “a multifunctional and digital-first stadium”, with Spurs now playing host to regular-season American football matches.
