The Premier League boom has continued apace over the past few years, with the competition attracting massive interest from fans. Several top clubs are currently in the process of expanding or rebuilding their stadiums to cope with the extra demand.

Liverpool £60m expansion of Anfield underway

Work on Liverpool’s £60 million stadium expansion is underway, with the project scheduled to be completed in time for the 2023/24 season. The club were given full planning permission by the city council in June, and ground was officially broken at the Anfield Road End during September.

The project will redevelop the lower tier of the stand and add a new upper tier to take the overall stadium capacity to around 61,000. Fans watching football on TV today are likely to be impressed when the project is finished given the atmosphere generated in the current stadium.

© Stephan Hoogerwaard

West Ham set to boost London Stadium capacity

West Ham United were recently granted planning permission to increase the capacity of their London Stadium by another 2,500 seats. The stadium can currently hold 60,000 people and the expansion will make it the second-largest ground in the Premier League behind Manchester United's Old Trafford.

West Ham fans were initially against the move from Upton Park in 2016, but appear to have settled well into their new surroundings. The club plans to increase the capacity to 67,000 in the next few years, highlighting their long-term ambition to become a major force in Europe.

Everton get the go-ahead for new stadium

Plans for Everton's new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock were recently given the go-ahead by the local council’s planning committee. This paves the way for the construction of a new 52,000-seater stadium on the site of one of the most iconic areas in the city of Liverpool.

Several conditions have been attached to the project including the redevelopment of Goodison Park beginning within three years from the first use of Bramley-Moore Dock. Everton hope to move to their new stadium for the 2024/25 campaign and it is viewed as a potential site for the 2030 World Cup if England are chosen as hosts.

© Herzog & de Meuron / Chelsea FC

Chelsea stadium plans still up in the air

Chelsea were forced to shelve their £1 billion investment plans for a new stadium in 2018 due to what owner Roman Abramovich described as an ‘unfavourable investment climate’. Abramovich was keen to transform Stamford Bridge into a 60,000-seat arena, but the plans still remain a distant dream for the club.

The current capacity at Stamford Bridge is less than 42,000, making it the smallest stadium of any amongst the so-called ‘Big Six’ Premier League clubs. However, with top clubs at home and abroad busily expanding or rebuilding their stadiums, it is unlikely to be too long before Chelsea revisit the project.

Newcastle in line for stadium revamp

Newcastle United’s recent takeover by a Saudi Arabian-led group has sparked talk that St James’ Park could soon become one of the largest stadiums in the world. Land close to the stadium is likely to be up for grabs, creating the possibility that the new owners could invest significant resources into an upgrade.

A 2019 proposal by design expert John Henry to turn the pitch 90 degrees to add 17,000 to the capacity found plenty of favour with fans, and could be an ideal solution. If the club is to deliver on its aims of securing Champions League football, increasing the capacity at St James’ Park over the next few years makes perfect sense.

© Mark Walker