Manchester United using 'world best' US arena as blueprint for new $2.6bn Old Trafford

Manchester United is planning to construct a new stadium on the site of Old Trafford, with an official announcement expected by the end of the year. The club's preferred choice is to erect a brand-new 100,000-seater state-of-the-art stadium on land adjacent to Old Trafford, costing around $2.6billion and slated for completion by 2030.

The plan involves continuing to play at Old Trafford while construction takes place on the neighboring land, thus avoiding the need for a temporary venue. Alternatively, they could opt to refurbish Old Trafford, but this would pose logistical challenges, such as reducing capacity from 75,000 to approximately 40,000 during the renovation or finding an alternative venue.

The club has established the Old Trafford Task Force to evaluate the feasibility of both options. Officials have visited stadiums worldwide on fact-finding missions to gather insights on constructing the best sports arena in the U.K

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These visits included trips to the Bernabeu, Nou Camp, and the 70,000-capacity SoFi in Los Angeles, arguably the world's finest sports arena, where United suffered a 2-1 defeat to Arsenal in a pre-season friendly last Saturday.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, now overseeing football operations at United, envisions a significant regeneration of the local area surrounding Old Trafford, including improvements to amenities and job creation.

The So-Fi project did just that, at an overall cost of around $5bn, funded by Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke, with the 'Hollywood Park' area around the stadium boasting a 6,000 concert venue, apartments and hotels.

United see SoFi as a blueprint for their own grand vision for a new Old Trafford and the subsequent regeneration of the surrounding area that such a bold stadium transformation would bring.

The cost of the new stadium would be met by a mix of private and public investment, with the Government providing funding for the necessary improved transport links required.

Former United striker Andy Cole, who is out in the US on the club's pre-season tour, was impressed by SoFi and its positive impact on the local community, a legacy he feels could be replicated with Old Trafford.

"What left the biggest impression on me is how the stadium has been central to the rise of Inglewood," said Cole. "I have been coming to LA for years and that area of the city was never previously somewhere you would choose to go as a visitor."

"To see how it's become such a thriving neighborhood, with SoFi at the heart of it, is an inspirational example of inner-city regeneration. I don't draw this comparison lightly, but you can see a parallel with the opportunity back home in Manchester."