Stadium Industry Updates - 20 August 2024
Estadio Centenario’s revamp timeline set for 2030 World cup, Manchester city and Sony unveil virtual experience, Manchester United finishes redesign players tunnel, Institute submits new stadium plans and much more in our latest stadium industry updates.
Estadio Centenario’s overhaul timeline set for 2030 World Cup
Ignacio Alonso, president of the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF), has unveiled new details about the redevelopment of Montevideo’s Estadio Centenario, which is scheduled to host the opening match of the 2030 FIFA World Cup. The stadium is set to close at the end of 2025 or early 2026 to facilitate the renovation work. While the exact cost is yet to be finalized, Alonso estimates the project will range between €109m and €127m, primarily funded through private investment. The renovation is expected to take approximately two and a half years.
Key elements of the redevelopment include installing a new roof that will cover most of the stadium and expanding its capacity from 60,000 to 63,000. The project will also introduce new hospitality suites and improve accessibility routes. Conceptual designs of the renovated Estadio Centenario were released by the AUF at the end of last month as part of their bid book for the 2030 World Cup submitted to FIFA.
Manchester City and Sony unveil immersive virtual experience
Manchester City has launched the "Man City Virtual Etihad Stadium", a state-of-the-art virtual experience developed with Sony, marking the first use of Sony's FavoriteSpace service by a sports brand. This partnership, initiated in November 2021, aims to redefine fan engagement through digital innovation, with a virtual recreation of the Etihad Stadium as a central feature. The newly launched app allows fans in the UK, US and Japan to join a virtual community, create avatars, participate in challenges and engage in social events. It also includes a virtual City Store for digital merchandise. A key aspect of the experience is the ability to view 3D immersive match highlights for the 2024-25 season, powered by Sony's Hawk-Eye Innovations. Additionally, the service offers opportunities for commercial partners like Etihad and Nissan to create interactive activations within the virtual stadium. This initiative underscores Manchester City’s commitment to leveraging technology to enhance fan engagement globally.
Manchester United finishes redesign of Old Trafford tunnel
The renovation of the players' tunnel at Old Trafford has been completed and used for the first time during the match between Manchester United and Full Ham, creating a modernised space designed to inspire and motivate Manchester United’s men’s, women’s, and academy teams on match days. The upgraded tunnel now features LED lighting on the ceiling, enhancing the ambiance as players prepare to enter the pitch. A Red Devil silhouette is prominently displayed on the left wall while ‘UNITED’ is featured on the right. The tunnel also includes backlit club crests on both the ceiling and walls. At the top of the tunnel, a heritage area showcases repositioned plaques honouring former United president John Henry Davies and former owner James W. Gibson, along with a display of the eagle crest worn by United during the 1958 FA Cup final.
Announced in July, this tunnel redesign is part of a broader series of upgrades at Old Trafford. In addition to the tunnel, United is working on replacing executive seating in the Stretford End, with completion expected soon. The stadium’s future remains uncertain, with recent reports suggesting the club is considering constructing a new 100,000-capacity stadium adjacent to Old Trafford rather than redeveloping the current venue. A final decision is anticipated by the end of the year, with the new stadium potentially costing over €2.3bn. There have also been discussions about potentially downsizing Old Trafford to a 30,000-capacity venue if a new stadium is built.
Institute FC submits proposal for new stadium
Institute FC, the Nothern Irish football team, has submitted a planning application for a new stadium in Londonderry, marking a major step in the club's development plans. The NIFL Championship runners-up propose a Community Sports and Wellbeing Hub at Clooney Park West, centred around a football stadium with a 4G playing surface with a total capacity of 2,097. The stadium will feature a main stand for 1,116 spectators and two additional stands for 981 more. The project also includes four cricket wickets. Institute FC is currently playing at Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium after leaving Riverside Stadium in 2017 due to flooding. McBride Brandywell Stadium is the home of Premier Division club Derry City. Institute FC is working with Gravity Architects and MCI Planning and Development on the new venue.
FA broadens deal with Fanatics while LFP extends collaboration with StadiumGO
The English Football Association (FA) has expanded its deal with Fanatics, which will now handle on-site retail at Wembley Stadium for England home matches, domestic cup finals and concerts. Fanatics will also manage the official online England Store and assist the FA in finding new licensees. This expansion follows record merchandising sales during UEFA Euro 2024 and builds on their 2018 partnership.
In France, the Ligue de Football Professionel (LFP) has renewed its deal with StadiumGO, which facilitates carpooling for Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches. This extended partnership, active since 2019, aims to reduce the environmental impact of match-day travel. The LFP reports that over 60% of a football match’s carbon footprint comes from spectator transport. As of last season, 82% of professional clubs in France offer carpooling solutions, with over 75% using StadiumGO. The platform saw nearly 25,000 users and 986,000 kilometres travelled last season, reflecting a 37% increase in usage.
Next stadium unveiled for the 2034 FIFA World Cup
A new stadium has been announced to be used during the 2034 FIFA World Cup. The new Aramco Stadium in Al Khobar will boast a seating capacity of 47,000, with the flexibility to expand to 55,000 for concerts and large-scale events. The stadium is also set to host matches during the 2027 AFC Asian Cup and is designed to offer an “unparalleled sports and entertainment experience”. The Aramco Stadium will feature a variety of community amenities including additional sports facilities, retail spaces, entertainment zones and public areas. Operated by the Saudi-owned petroleum and natural gas company Aramco, the stadium's design is inspired by natural elements. Its exterior will feature overlapping translucent sails, mimicking the graceful rotation of waves and spirals found in nature, allowing natural light to flood the interiors through carefully placed openings. Inside, the stadium’s spiral design is reflected in the ramps and walkways that lead to an elliptically shaped seating bowl. This configuration is designed to minimize the venue’s footprint while optimizing natural ventilation. The seating bowl ensures a world-class viewing experience, offering a compact layout with uninterrupted views of the pitch from every seat.
Fans amazed by COSM’s LA Experience during Manchester United opener
A video from Los Angeles' COSM, located next to SoFi Stadium, has showcased an extraordinary new way to watch football. The venue, equipped with a cutting-edge virtual reality setup, features an impressive 9,600 square-foot LED screen known as "The Dome." This massive display encircles the audience, providing an ultra-realistic view of the game that makes fans feel as if they are seated right inside the stadium. The immersive experience is designed to rival the sensation of being at a sports game or transported to an entirely different world. Visitors to COSM can enjoy this enhanced viewing experience in a comfortable setting, with food and drink available through the COSM mobile app or served directly to their seats. Tickets are already on sale for upcoming Premier League matches, including high-profile clashes such as Chelsea vs. Manchester City. As the popularity of this innovative setup grows, there is speculation about whether such an experience might eventually be introduced in the UK and other locations. If it continues to gain traction, it has the potential to revolutionise how fans engage with football in the future.
Opening new National Stadium of Lithuania may be pushed back again
The opening of the new National Stadium in Vilnius, Lithuania, is likely to face another delay. Vilnius municipal authorities are awaiting the European Commission's review of the construction report for the multifunctional complex, which may push the opening from autumn 2026 to 2027. The Public Procurement Service (VTP), which reported the plans to the European Commission, has proposed dividing the increased costs between the builder and the authorities after a thorough review of the concession contract changes. This approach could save approximately €2.5m. Additionally, the VPT has suggested not indexing the new buildings added to the project.
The comprehensive complex will feature the new National Stadium, a sports museum, a sports centre with facilities for basketball, handball, gymnastics and boxing, three football training fields, an international athletics stadium with a football field, a warm-up area with throwing sectors, a cultural centre with a library and a kindergarten with 300 places. The new stadium will be constructed 100 meters west of the incomplete original National Stadium, which was demolished in 2022. The initial construction of the first stadium began in 1987 but was abandoned in 1991. Work resumed in 2008 but was halted once more later that year.