According to reports from English media, Arsenal is exploring the possibility of increasing the capacity of Emirates Stadium to 80,000 seats. The Gunners' home ground opened in 2006 after the team left Highbury and currently holds 60,704 spectators.

How could the stadium be expanded?

According to Bloomberg, the club is interested in increasing this number to around 80,000 to boost matchday revenues. Reports suggest that the revamped Emirates would only be surpassed by Wembley Stadium, which holds 90,000 fans. Among the expansion options being considered for Emirates are: rebuilding the existing stands, lowering the pitch level, or renovating the roof to allow for the addition of new sections or even another tier.

There is also some talk about the possibility of building an entirely new stadium, but at this stage, it remains just an idea and is not being seriously considered. Arsenal officials are aware that a potential expansion could require investment in infrastructure, including underground stations, which was already a significant issue during the construction of the current stadium.

© Alex Pietzsch

Arsenal aims to compete with the best stadiums in England

Although talks are at an early stage, the renovation of Emirates is a priority. In the Premier League, stagnation means falling behind – something Arsenal cannot afford. In recent years, Emirates Stadium has dropped to fifth place in terms of capacity in the Premier League.

Arsenal also faces growing financial competition. In terms of annual revenue, the club (£464.6 mln in the 2022/23 season) lags behind rivals such as Manchester City and Manchester United. The Kroenke family has ambitions not only on the field but also off it, aiming to further increase the stadium's use for non-football events to generate greater profits.

© Dave Pearce (cc: by-nc-nd)

Owners seek ways to meet growing demand

With Arsenal back in the title race, ticket demand has surged dramatically. As a result, the club has been forced to change its ticket allocation process from a typical queue system to a lottery. This solution was also implemented to prevent scalpers from profiting off the increased demand, and as a result, hundreds of memberships have been suspended and hundreds of thousands of bot accounts closed.