Etihad Stadium expansion update as construction workers offer timeframe on landmark progress

Manchester City supporters can expect to see significant progress on the expansion of the Etihad Stadium before the start of next season, according to fresh updates.

The Premier League champions received the final sign-off on ambitious plans to further improve the Etihad Stadium and its immediate surroundings towards the end of 2023, with an expansion to the arena taking its capacity to just under 62,000.

While initial plans had been approved in July 2023, council bosses had to approve on additional conditions, such as the construction of a brand new 400-bed hotel, a TV studio, a roof walk ‘attraction’, and a new fan zone for up to 3,000 people.

The new on-sight fanzone – which is expected to be adjoined to the north stand of the Etihad Stadium – will also include additional food and drink outlets, a new club shop, and a club museum showcasing Manchester City’s long-standing and illustrious history.

Supporters will have noticed the speed of change around the Etihad Stadium in recent months, with a large portion of land dedicated to construction work, whilst the original mainstay club shop has since been demolished to make room for the new additions in the coming years.

According to the information of Manchester City insider ‘Tolmie’s Hairdoo’ on X, speaking to construction workers at the Etihad Stadium, it is expected that the full steel frame structure of the North Stand extension is to be in place by the end of July 2024.

The overall project to further improve the Etihad Stadium is estimated to inject £70 million of added value into the Greater Manchester economy each year, and lead to 1,795 extra full-time jobs, according to local media reports.

It is further understood that number will reach around 3,000, according to bosses with knowledge of the plans, when part-time workers and casual shifts are also taken into account for future years.

The Etihad Stadium was included as part of the UK & Ireland’s successful UEFA EURO 2028 bid, with reports around the selection process revealing that Manchester City’s home was selected ahead of Manchester United’s Old Trafford – which was seen as ‘in need of an upgrade’.