Football Ground Map
Football Ground Map
The team behind the redevelopment of Old Trafford have stated their ambition is to make it the ‘national stadium of the North', matching Wembley for size and facilities.
Part of Sir Jim Radcliffe's 25% purchase of Manchester United included funds of £237 million to be used to invest in the stadium. Along with Trafford Council, they have come up with a 15-year plan to redevelop the area around Old Trafford.
The last time Old Trafford hosted a Champions League final was in 2003 when Juventus beat AC Milan in an all-Italian game. For a club of Manchester United's size, they will be disappointed not to have hosted another final since.
This year's Champions League final will be held at Wembley once again where Manchester City are the 13/8 favourites in football odds to lift the trophy at the national stadium. It will be the third time in the last 14 years that the stadium has been given the honour.
Manchester City have been popular in the football tips to win the treble once again this season. Their owners have not just heavily invested in the playing squad, but they have also spent a lot of money over the last decades on the club's stadium and training facilities, and that is paying dividends now.
CONFIRMED: #EURO2028 will take place in the UK and Republic of Ireland!
— UEFA (@UEFA) October 10, 2023
Proposed venues include Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Dublin, Glasgow, Liverpool, London (x2) Manchester and Newcastle.
Congratulations to our confirmed hosts! pic.twitter.com/elnLbjWgam
In what was a real blow, Old Trafford was not named as one of the stadiums to be used for Euro 2028 when England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will host the major tournament. Manchester City's Etihad Stadium was favoured over United's ground.
During the World Cup in 1966, Old Trafford hosted three matches. It was also one of the stadiums used for the Olympics in 2012, including for quarter-final and semi-final matches of the men's tournament.
United will be hoping their new stadium leaves them in a better position if England win the rights to a major tournament again. The FA have looked at bidding for the World Cup in the past, and they may do so again the next time European countries are invited to bid.
It has been 11 years now since United last won the Premier League title. Since that championship success in 2013, in what was Sir Alex Ferguson's final season in charge, they have failed to finish in the top four in the Premier League in five of the last 10 years.
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) April 13, 2024
United look set to miss out on the Champions League again this season. They have lost 12 of their opening 32 matches. They do remain in contention for a major trophy, as they have reached the semi-final of the FA Cup where they will face Coventry in the last-four tie at Wembley.
Radcliffe will be pushing for investment in the team this summer. They are being linked with several leading players in Europe, but the hard part may be persuading them to join Old Trafford.
A task force has been assembled to work on the redevelopment of Old Trafford and it includes former player Gary Neville, Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, and Lord Sebastian Coe.
All good things have to come to an end, and the same unfortunately has to be said for football stadiums too. This article looks at the grounds which are soon to host their last match, the stadiums whose days are numbered and where fans will be watching their football from next.
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