Arsenal plans to expand Emirates: how the stadium will change.

According to The Sun: Arsenal fans got their first look at what the updated Emirates Stadium could look like.

Earlier this week, it was revealed that the club plans to expand its home stadium to make it the largest in London.

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The stadium, opened in 2006, cost the club approximately £390 million, but it now lags behind the new arenas of Tottenham and West Ham in size.

According to new plans, the capacity of the Emirates is expected to increase from the current 60,704 to at least 70,000 seats, and during the work, a temporary move for the team to Wembley is possible.

The club is not rushing to make decisions regarding the upgrades, which will likely be implemented over the next few years.

However, fans have already seen what such changes could look like, noting the Portuguese club Benfica and their plans for Estádio da Luz.

The stadium, which opened in 2003, was designed by the same architectural firm, Populous, that designed the Emirates. It has a similar shape.

Initially, the capacity of Estádio da Luz was around 65,000, but it has already been expanded to 68,100 by the 2025/26 season with the aim of reaching 70,000.

This upgrade was achieved by adding two new rows in the lower tier, which is a relatively quick and cost-effective method.

The next step for the club's management is to add another 1,900 seats to reach the target capacity of 70,000; but these plans are still under discussion.

Arsenal's limitations in expansion

Arsenal faces serious limitations on conducting construction work due to infrastructure, stadium shape, and the surrounding area of London.

Various ways to address this issue have been discussed, including using private boxers, changing the size of seats and space between them, as well as adjusting the slope of the stands. However, all these methods have their complexities.

It has been noted that Arsenal may temporarily move to Wembley during construction work, but no decision on this has been made yet.

It is known that Arsenal draws inspiration from the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium renovation project implemented by Real Madrid.

The Spaniards managed to double matchday revenue to £210 million after increasing capacity to 83,000.

However, these changes from 2019 to 2024, including a new roof, a 360-degree LED screen, and a multi-purpose field, cost the club £877 million.

The costs for the planned changes at Arsenal are expected to reach £500 million with the aim of creating a digitally multifunctional stadium.

Reuters This was achieved by adding two new rows in the lower tier Getty Images - Getty The changes Arsenal plans to implement could significantly impact the future of the club, as increasing stadium capacity will open new opportunities for revenue growth and fan engagement. However, as the experience of other clubs shows, such projects require significant investment and time. It will be interesting to observe how the club manages the challenges associated with modernization and ensuring the most comfortable conditions for its fans.