Man Utd reveal new stadium site 350 metres from Old Trafford as fate of iconic ground remains undecided

Manchester United have confirmed the location of their planned 100,000-seat stadium, with the new ground set to be built on recently acquired land 350 metres from Old Trafford, allowing the first team to continue playing at their current home throughout the construction period.

The club purchased the site from Indurent, and while it sits slightly further from the existing ground than some had anticipated, stadium development CEO Collette Roche said the distance was a deliberate and straightforward choice. “Being 350 metres away for the next four or five years, or however long it takes to build a stadium, is going to be really important because if it’s too close, it will be disruptive,” she said. “Our players will be playing in a building site, the fans won’t be able to get in and out, the transport is going to be a nightmare. So having that little bit of distance makes absolute sense.”

What becomes of Old Trafford itself — one of the most recognisable stadiums in world football, with a current capacity of 74,000 — remains an open question. Options under consideration include demolition, a scaled-down redevelopment, conversion to housing, or some other community use. Roche was candid about the lack of a firm plan. “We just don’t know, and that is the genuine answer,” she said. “Should we keep it? Should we knock it down? Should we redevelop it into something different? Should it become houses? I don’t know.”

Any decision will involve formal consultation with Trafford Council as part of wider regeneration ambitions for the area, with supporters also set to be included in the process. The club owns a significant amount of land in the surrounding area, which Roche described as a “prime position” for delivering the jobs, homes, and businesses that form part of the broader development vision.

On the question of preserving the club’s history and heritage through the transition, Roche acknowledged that conversations with fans would be central to shaping how that legacy is carried into the new venue. The new stadium’s location within the Old Trafford district was itself flagged as symbolically important, even if the precise site differs from earlier proposals.

No timeline for a final decision on the existing ground has been announced, with the club’s immediate focus firmly on progressing the new build.