Anfield Road Stand Opening Delayed for Liverpool vs. Chelsea Match
The highly anticipated opening of Anfield Road Stand’s increased capacity of 61,000 has been delayed once again. Liverpool Football Club will not be able to fully open the stand for the upcoming match against Chelsea due to delays caused by the collapse of building contractors Buckingham Group.
Initially, the top tier of the expanded stand remained closed to supporters at the start of the season. However, it was partially opened for the December game against Manchester United, allowing an additional 7,000 fans and bringing the overall capacity of the stadium to 57,000.
Unfortunately, the completion of the building work for an additional 4,000 seats earmarked for hospitality has been delayed. The original target of a late January opening for this section will be missed.
The club’s plans for the opening of the Anfield Road Stand were contingent on Liverpool’s performance in the domestic cups. The addition of fixtures against Fulham in the League Cup and Norwich City in the FA Cup required temporary pauses in the building work, further delaying the opening of the extra seats.
It remains uncertain whether the stand will be fully opened in time for the Premier League match against Burnley on February 10. The next home game after that could potentially be in the FA Cup fifth round on February 28 if Liverpool advances past Norwich.
Senior figures at Anfield are hesitant to commit to a new opening date, as they consider the situation to be fluid.
Anfield Road Stand Facts
Here are some key facts about the Anfield Road Stand:
- The current stadium capacity is approximately 57,000.
- Once completed, the final capacity will be 61,000.
- The Anfield Road Stand will hold around 16,000 supporters.
- The estimated cost of the construction is £80 million.