Manchester United’s new 100,000-seater stadium could host major competition after chairman breaks silence

Manchester United are planning to build a 100,000-seater stadium and it could end up holding major competition finals.

It was announced last week that Manchester United would look to build a stunning 100,000-seater stadium and move away from their historic home at Old Trafford.

The plan is for the new stadium to be ready for the 2030/31 campaign, while the Reds remain at the Theatre of Dreams until that point.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has previously spoken about how he wanted to build a “Wembley of the North” and this stadium would exceed the capacity of the national ground.

There have been rumours about the club potentially selling the naming rights for the ground when it opens, and other potential forms of revenue can come from it too.

Concerts are likely to be hosted there, while it also offers an alternative ground for cup finals to be played at.

Chairman breaks silence on United hosting major competition

That is something being considered, with the chairman of the EFL admitting that it is “not a bad thing” to have alternatives to Wembley.

On Sunday evening, Liverpool and Newcastle face off against each other in the Carabao Cup final. Both clubs and their supporters are having to travel from the North to the South, forking out hundreds of pounds for the journeys.

United’s ‘New Trafford’ would be a potential alternative for those Carabao Cup finals.

“Well, it’s always nice to have an alternative,” EFL chairman Rick Parry told talkSPORT. “And it’s very exciting for the north. So exciting news, positive news.

“Again from the EFL’s point of view, the more that our biggest clubs grow and thrive, the stronger the game will be.

“So we always look on with interest, but that’s a few years away yet, but having alternatives is never a bad thing.”

Several different football grounds have hosted the competitions final in its earlier years, such as Stamford Bridge and St Andrew’s stadium.

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But it has been held at Wembley since 1967 – barring six years between 2001 and 2007 where the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff was used while the national stadium was knocked down and the New Wembley was built.

Any serious discussions about hosting the final at United’s new ground will likely be far in the future when it is closer to being opened.

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