English club Arsenal is preparing a major project that might temporarily move the “Gunners” back to Wembley Stadium, while planning to expand Emirates Stadium to a capacity of around 70,000 spectators, making it the largest stadium in London.

Massive Expansion Project Under Study

According to The Sun newspaper, Arsenal’s management is still in the early stages of studying a plan to expand the stands to increase the current capacity of 60,704 seats.

The project comes after years of internal discussions about developing infrastructure and improving the fan experience at Emirates, which opened in 2006 at a cost of nearly £390 million.

Huge Financial Returns Expected

The club generated matchday revenues of £131 million in the 2023/2024 season, supported by the team’s return to the Champions League.

The expansion is expected to add tens of millions of pounds annually, as well as help reduce the long waiting list for tickets, which exceeds 100,000 fans.

Possible Temporary Return to Wembley

Arsenal’s management is considering the option of playing temporarily at Wembley Stadium during the expansion works, as estimates indicate the project may take longer than the summer break.

The team previously played at Wembley during the 1998/1999 and 1999/2000 seasons in Champions League matches.

Engineering Challenges and Comparison to Bernabéu

The project faces construction challenges due to the stadium’s location and architectural design in North London, along with infrastructure constraints around it.

Arsenal’s management aims to benefit from Real Madrid’s experience in developing Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, which increased its capacity to 83,000 spectators and doubled revenues, despite costing over £877 million.

Other English Clubs on the Way

Arsenal is not the only club studying stadium development; Chelsea plans to renovate Stamford Bridge, while Manchester United is exploring building a new 100,000-seat stadium or renovating Old Trafford.