Football stadiums of the future: Meet the 11 clubs planning to build new sci-fi-style grounds worth BILLIONS in the next few years… is your team part of the revolution?

Stadiums throughout the English football pyramid have long been the envy of the world.

From Anfield to Old Trafford, these hallowed grounds have been shaped by the legends who graced the field and the voices that roared them on from the stands.

But for many clubs, the ravages of time, years of wear-and-tear, and the shifting dynamics of modern football are beginning to make their beloved homes show their age.

In recent years, Premier League sides Tottenham, Everton, and West Ham have all left their grounds in favour of a new stadium. And while supporters are still adjusting, it is a sign of the unstoppable evolution of the game. 

So with that in mind, we invite you to put aside your nostalgia glasses and take a deep breath as Daily Mail Sport takes you on a journey through the plans unveiled by clubs in the English game – and how their stadiums could look in the years to come.

Manchester United

United are synonymous with Old Trafford, a cathedral of football that most famously witnessed the heights of the Busby Babes and the trophy-laden years under Sir Alex Ferguson’s guise. 

So when the club revealed its ambitious plans for a new stadium in March amid a ropey decade without consistent success, the response was, to put it mildly, mixed.

While traditionalists may have hoped for a refurbished version of their beloved home, United are forging ahead with a new £2billion vision which by 2030, will see them in a spectacular 100,000 capacity new arena.

Designed under a sweeping ‘umbrella,’ the new Old Trafford will be complete with a public plaza twice the size of Trafalgar Square, alongside their own version of Wembley Way which would make up a breathtaking new ‘city of the future’. 

Sir Jim Ratcliffe vowed that the ground, built next to the site of the current Old Trafford will be the ‘world’s greatest football stadium’ and was a necessity because the club’s current ground had ‘fallen behind the best arenas in world sport’. 

With three giant tower structures inspired by the club’s trident, the new arena looks set to dominate the skyline, with a glass and steel canopy that will keep fans dry inside and outside what would be comfortably Britain’s biggest stadium.

The plans also feature a wraparound scoreboard, a three-storey museum, and canal-side restaurants, all nestled within a vast fan village. Ratcliffe has promised that while the new ground will offer cutting-edge facilities, it will ‘preserve the essence of Old Trafford’.

A series of stunning images show that the new ground would be pushed back from the site of United’s iconic home of more than a century, which will potentially be demolished.

Their own, tree-lined version of Wembley Way would stretch from beyond the current Holy Trinity statue to well inside the existing Old Trafford with land currently used for a car park and freight terminal behind the Stretford End coming in to play.

On one side the bowl-shaped venue would straddle the canal, with a series of sheltered bridges allowing fans to cross into the cavernous arena.

One of the towers, which stretches high above a new, two-tiered Stretford End, features a viewing platform suspended in the air. Along both sides are three tiers with a host of corporate offerings.

Birmingham City

Birmingham stunned the football world in October when they unveiled plans for a new £1.2billion stadium that chairman Tom Wagner believes will propel the Blues – currently in the Championship – towards the top of the global game.

The 62,000-seater Powerhouse Stadium, which is expected to secure a naming-rights deal, is due to open in 2030 and will sit in the east of the city.

Unveiling plans for the striking new arena, the centrepiece of which is its 12 chimney-like towers, the club said it will become ‘a major new city landmark that reflects the region’s industrial heritage while embracing cutting-edge engineering.’

Since the Knighthead takeover – backed by NFL icon Tom Brady – the Blues have shown dizzying ambition, and Wagner believes it is a matter of when, not if, they reach the Premier League.

‘Maybe we look like modest lunatics to be unveiling these plans while we are in the Championship, but we feel very good about where we are,’ the chairman said.

The plans, drawn up by Heatherwick Studio, MANICA Architecture and Peaky Blinders writer Steven Knight, feature a retractable roof and a moveable pitch, allowing the club to host major concerts and events. 

‘The 12 chimney-form towers echo the brickworks that once sat on the site,’ the club said. 

‘They will provide structural support for the roof while accommodating lifts and staircases and helping with ventilation. One chimney will include a lift to Birmingham’s highest bar, offering citywide views and an immersive storytelling experience.’

Birmingham’s current stadium, St Andrews, currently holds around 27,000 spectators, making their new home more than double the size. 

Aston Villa

The Villans first unveiled their ‘spectacular vision’ for a major redevelopment of Villa Park in August 2022 – and had a strenuous three-year wait before being given the green light by council planners.

The club released a series of eye-catching images showcasing plans to expand the stadium beyond 50,000 seats, centred on a complete rebuild of the North Stand and the creation of a new commercial hub and inner-city academy on the site. 

The North Stand, formerly the Witton End and last rebuilt in 1977, would be replaced with a two-tier structure, while the Trinity Stand would also be upgraded, potentially adding around 7,500 to its capacity.

With Villa Park currently holding 42,785 and an ever-growing season-ticket waiting list, the expansion is designed to ease demand.

The redevelopment marks the most significant work on the ground since the Trinity Road Stand was rebuilt in 2000 and forms part of the club’s wider ambition to modernise the stadium without losing its historic character.

‘We’ve had a hugely positive response from the local community, our supporters and other stakeholders, and we’re confident this project will transform both the stadium and the local area,’ said then-Villa CEO Christian Purslow. 

‘These new CGI images showcase our vision for Villa Park, including a brand-new commercial destination, Villa Live, and high-quality public space for the community.’

Leicester City

While they were flying high in the Premier League, Leicester City unveiled their ambitious plans to redevelop the King Power Stadium – but the Championship side could now face a race against the clock to bring the project to life.

The club first released images in August 2021 outlining a transformation of both the ground and its wider site, and later secured council approval and financial backing for the scheme.

But with recent reports suggesting that the building permit expires in December 2027, the East Midlands side may need to accelerate their progress to keep the project alive.

At the heart of their planned redevelopment is an 8,000-seat expansion of the East Stand, increasing capacity from 32,261 to around 40,000. The revamped stand would be crowned by a sweeping, bubble-like roof designed to boost acoustics.

Inside, the East Stand overhaul would introduce larger concourses, upgraded hospitality areas and improved accessibility, marking the most significant structural change since the ground opened in 2002.

The club said their goal is to modernise the matchday experience and create a more imposing and enclosed bowl, with the upper tier enhancing the atmosphere around the pitch.

Beyond the centrepiece dome, the club’s blueprint includes a 6,000-capacity indoor arena and a new hotel, both set alongside the expanded stand to form a connected sports and entertainment district.

A public plaza and fan zone, plus a residential tower and office space round out the development, which is part of Leicester’s intention to evolve the King Power site into a multi-use hub for the club and the city.

Nottingham Forest

Forest’s plans to revamp the City Ground – first announced in 2019 – have been through a long and windy road in the years since.

A lengthy debate resulted in planning approval in 2022, but a row over how much rent the club should pay on the stadium’s rent to Nottingham City Council threw a spanner in the works.

Tensions saw Forest consider an exit from their beloved home, but the local authority – who owned the land the stadium is on – eventually sold up, paving the way for the club to forge on.

Backed by owner Evangelos Marinakis, the club planned to boost the City Ground’s capacity from around 30,000 to 35,000 by demolishing and rebuilding the Peter Taylor Stand. 

But their revised proposals, unveiled when the club hosted drop-in sessions at the stadium in December, could potentially take the City Ground well beyond the 50,000 mark.

The BBC reported that construction could begin as early as summer 2026 if the new plans are approved, though a formal planning application has yet to be submitted.

Crystal Palace

The Eagles have gone from strength to strength on the pitch in recent years, securing European qualification and winning and FA Cup too under the stewardship of Oliver Glasner.

But before that era of success began, the club announced their plans to transform their main stand with a major overhaul – yet they are still waiting for works to commence.

While fans are growing impatient having waited more than eight years now, club co-owner and chairman Steve Parish confirmed earlier this month that it was ‘all systems go’ with work to finally begin in January 2026.

The club’s eye-catching proposals for a £100million redevelopment of their Selhurst Park ground will see their capacity increase from 26,000 to more than 34,000 with a new five-storey stand complete with a glass facade.

The Eagles plan to transform their home since 1924 into a state-of-the-art arena, featuring an all-glass exterior inspired by the design of the 1851 Crystal Palace Exhibition Hall, with a central vaulted arch featuring the club’s eagle crest in gold.

The roof of the new stand, which will also contain hospitality and entertainment facilities for more than 2,500 spectators, is designed to funnel noise down towards the Arthur Wait Stand opposite.

Palace considered moving away from Selhurst Park before announcing the expansion plans, and most recently overcame difficulties which meant they had to rehouse nearby residents.

Parish told talkSPORT in December: ‘Fingers crossed [the fans] see some real physical progress in January.’

Bournemouth

The Cherries currently boast the smallest home in the Premier League, but they hope to have a redevelopment of the Vitality Stadium complete for the start of the 2027-28 campaign. 

Currently housing just 11,307 spectators, Bournemouth’s new ground will be increased to hold 20,000.

Their plans include demolishing the current South Stand to build a new grandstand with 7,000 seats, as well as infilling the stadium corners to create an additional 1,440 seats.

They will also extend the North and East Stands to bring in another 2,900 seats, and create a new fan zone in the south west corner of the ground.

‘The expansion and improvement of the stadium represents a major milestone in the Club’s history and its stated journey to be top a performing club in the Premier League,’ Bournemouth said in a statement. 

Smaller works are hoped to be completed by March 2026, before major refurbishments are visibly ramped up for the start of next season.

Millwall

The Lions first unveiled plans to redevelop their iconic home, The Den, into a Colosseum-like arena in 2020 after finally receiving the green light to remain at their Bermondsey base in south London.

Milwall had spent years fearing relocation after developer Renewal proposed a mixed-use scheme for the land, sparking concerns that they would be forced out of their historic stadium.

Renewal had planned to build 2,400 homes, alongside commercial space and sporting facilities, with Millwall facing potential eviction.

But after a 16-year battle and protests from supporters to Lewisham Council, the club secured the right to stay and submitted plans to redevelop the land themselves.

Millwall’s proposals could increase The Den’s capacity from around 20,000 to as many as 34,000, alongside the construction of a hotel, community centre and a two-storey underground car park, forming a ‘vibrant new public plaza’ in the area.

It will be designed by AFL Architects, who say the use of brickwork arches reflects the nearby railway viaducts and the area’s industrial heritage.

The club hope the regeneration will spur them on to Premier League promotion.

Wrexham

It is sometimes said that old is gold, but Wrexham’s Racecourse Ground is the oldest stadium in world football to still host matches – and until recently, it was falling to pieces.

That’s why Hollywood mega-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac are pushing ahead with a redevelopment of the famous arena, which they hope will will lead to them staging regular Wales international matches again.

Wrexham’s historic ground only holds around 12,600 fans at present, with a temporary stand currently on the derelict Kop end behind one goal.

More than £17million of public funding has been secured from the Welsh government to support the new Kop which has been designed by Populous – the architects behind Wembley and the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.

The proposals, which will see the stand transformed into a huge wall of red brick -inspired by the city’s ‘Terracottapolis’ nickname, based on their local history of brick-making – includes safe standing, hospitality suites, and accessible seating. 

Two dragons from the club’s crest are set to be prominently embossed into the brick facade at one corner of the stand, which will hold around 5,500 seats. 

‘We want to create a unique and instantly recognisable Kop stand with its brick design and form that represents the city’s identity, and we believe sports and entertainment architects Populous have achieved this,’ club CEO Michael Williamson said.

The club’s long-term goal is to eventually increase the stadium’s capacity to as much as 55,000.

Luton

The Hatters were the subject of much conversation when they arrived in the Premier League in the 2022-23 campaign due to fans accessing the away end of Kenilworth Road via a narrow street lined with terraced houses.

And just two years later, Luton formally announced their plans to build a sleek new 25,000-seater multi-purpose stadium.

The hybrid application for the arena, which will be on the Power Court site in Bedfordshire, includes a submission for a hotel and music venue. 

The first images released buy the club show the ground, which would be erected in a 20-acre site close to the town’s central railway station, with a modern glass and metal framework.

‘It’s clearly a hugely complicated project but the main aim has always been to maintain the architectural quality and to deliver a stadium that replicates an essential, unique character we are all so familiar with but also fit and ready to grace the Premier League stage,’ club chief Gary Sweet said.

Oxford United

The U’s only moved to their current home, the Kassam Stadium, in 2001, but they are already looking to leave.

And thanks to their new ground being given the green light in October this year, Oxford United have their sights set on a new 16,000-capacity stadium.

The project had been hanging in the balance after it was referred to Secretary of State Steve Reed, as the development conflicted with the local council’s plan and sits on green belt land.

However, Oxford East MP Anneliese Dodds and Banbury MP Sean Woodcock confirmed the club had received a letter stating Mr Reed had decided ‘not to call in this application’.

The Secretary of State’s decision not to call in the planning application for our 16,000-capacity stadium on land north of the city means the club can now begin to deliver on its vision,’ club chairman Grant Ferguson said.

‘On behalf of everyone at Oxford United, I would like to thank all of our supporters and the project team who have been instrumental in getting us to this point.’

Oxford United said further updates would be provided in due course.