Etihad Stadium – stadium description

The Eastlands plot was initially planned as a future olympic stadium site, when Manchester was bidding for hosting Olympics in 2000. As the bid failed, planes were downsized and a much smaller stadium has been built as the main venue of the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Capacity decreased from 80,000 to 35,000, part of which was temporary seating. Total cost stood at 110 mln pounds.

Soon after the event the first revamp has started. Athletics track and pitch were removed and the ground lowered to create space for additional tier of seating in a football-specific configuration.

The temporary stand behind one goal has been dismantled and replaced by a permanent construction identical with one at the other end. This had cost another 30 mln pounds and made the stadium a good home for Manchester City which could then leave their historical home – Maine Road.

In 2011 the naming rights for the stadium were obtained by Etihad airlines for 150 million pounds – a record deal in British football at that time.

Between 2014 and 2015, the stadium underwent its first expansion since being taken over by Manchester City. A third tier with more than 6,000 seats was added to the stand behind the southern goal.

In 2023, the expansion of the stand behind the goal on the opposite, northern side began. The enlarged stand (named The Pep Guardiola Stand) was fully opened to spectators for the final match of the 2025/26 season. As a result, the stadium’s capacity increased to over 61,000 seats.

The project to expand the northern part of the stadium also includes the construction of new commercial and entertainment buildings connected to the stand, as well as a covered fan zone. The resulting complex will be known as Medlock Square, with the entire development scheduled for completion before the end of 2026.

How Etihad Stadium compares to other Premier League venues?