Major overhaul at the club, Arsenal approves £500 million budget

Arsenal intends to invest £500 million to enlarge the Emirates Stadium capacity beyond 70,000 seats, while also exploring the option of temporarily relocating to Wembley for matches during the renovation.

Arsenal is preparing a major redevelopment of the Emirates Stadium with an estimated investment of £500 million, which includes a potential temporary move to Wembley during construction. Once completed, Emirates’ capacity will rise to over 70,000 seats, restoring Arsenal’s status as the club with the largest stadium in London, surpassing West Ham and Tottenham.

According to The Telegraph, the plan to expand the Emirates has accelerated this year after years of discussion. The project is expected to completely renovate the interior, adjust the stands’ incline, and reorganize seating to increase capacity, while maintaining the external architecture to preserve the iconic image of the “North London Fortress.”

With a waiting list exceeding 100,000 season ticket applicants, the stadium expansion is seen as a necessary step to meet growing fan demand. Additionally, the extra seats will help Arsenal boost annual revenue and improve compliance with Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) and Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations.

However, the scale of the project means Arsenal will need to find a temporary home ground during construction. Wembley, England’s national stadium, is the leading candidate if an agreement is reached. Arsenal previously played at Wembley in the Champions League during the 1998/99 and 1999/2000 seasons and won the FA Cup there four times between 2014 and 2020.

Previously, Tottenham rented Wembley for nearly two years while completing their new £1.2 billion stadium, paying an estimated £15 million in rent. This experience is considered a model for Arsenal if they need to temporarily leave Emirates.

Sources say the club’s owners, the Kroenke family, could play a key role in the project, having been involved in developing large-scale sports venues, notably the £4.1 billion SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles with a capacity of 100,000 seats.

Nevertheless, Arsenal has not yet applied for construction permits. Given the project’s size, the approval process could take up to five years, and the club is also considering smaller-scale renovation options if legal or planning obstacles arise.