Liverpool has no plans to upgrade its stadium, according to a recent report, despite Anfield being set to become the second most glamorous ground in the city.
Everton has had little to brag about in recent years, but the construction of a brand-new state-of-the-art stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock may have a few Reds feeling jealous. That it was selected above Anfield to host games at Euro 2028 and is a visible landmark on the Liverpool skyline doesn’t help matters.
Coupled with the news of Manchester United’s plans to build a futuristic new ground, it has led to questions about whether the Reds could look to expand Anfield. After recent developments to two of its four stands, a new stadium certainly isn’t on the cards.
But The Athletic has published a detailed breakdown of FSG’s operations, including a link back to a previous interview with CEO Billy Hogan, who said there are “no plans for further expansion of the stadium”.
The article highlights that the redevelopment of the Main Stand and Anfield Road Stand in the last decade cost FSG £210million ($272M) and increased the ground’s capacity by 15,000, to 61,000, eclipsing the new 52,888-capacity Everton Stadium.
But further expansion on the other two sides of the ground “are not seen as viable at this stage” due to a lack of space caused by residential houses behind the stands.
“Expanding Anfield again could not happen without knocking down houses and relocating those residents and Liverpool have already been through that previously with the other rebuilds,” said The Athletic.
(Image: Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Getty Images)
But there are still plans to make developments around the ground, as news of an increased retail store at Anfield emerged on Wednesday. The store will open before the 2025/26 campaign and increase the current outlet by around 4,000 square feet. A widened entrance and the mezzanine floor were confirmed as part of the plans, along with the relocation of the staircase and escalator.
Meanwhile, The Athletic think this is part of a bigger site expansion from the clubs’ owners. “FSG, however, believes Anfield — a modern stadium in a historic setting — will maintain its appeal. The way it reshaped Fenway Park, the home of its Boston Red Sox baseball team, and the surrounding area of the U.S. city into something of a heritage site, is probably the template Liverpool will adopt.”
Anfield is the fourth biggest ground at present in the Premier League, behind Old Trafford, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the London Stadium.
