Man Utd Owner Ratcliffe Advocates for Northern National Stadium
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the new co-owner of Manchester United, has expressed his preference for building a new stadium that can also serve the north of England. Currently, the club plays at Old Trafford, a stadium that has been in use since 1910 and is in need of refurbishment. Ratcliffe believes a new stadium could be constructed next to the existing ground in Trafford Park. He argues that it is high time that a national stadium is built in the north of England.
The British billionaire sees the potential project as a catalyst for regeneration in south Manchester and suggests that a conversation with the government about using taxpayers’ money is warranted. In an interview with BBC sports editor Dan Roan, Ratcliffe stated, “If it can be achieved, it would clearly be my preference. I would be very excited for the north of England.”
Ratcliffe also discussed the possibility of the new stadium hosting England games, FA Cup semi-finals, and even the Champions League final. He believes there is a significant bias towards major investments being made in the south. Old Trafford has not been selected to host games at Euro 2028 and last hosted a Champions League final in 2003.
The 71-year-old Manchester-born businessman recently completed a deal to buy a 27.7% stake in Manchester United, worth approximately $1.6 billion (£1.25 billion), which includes $300 million (£237 million) for future investment in the club’s stadium. Ratcliffe acknowledges that refurbishment could result in an 80-90,000 seater stadium but notes that it would not be perfect due to the age of the ground.
Instead, he envisions Trafford Park as the ideal location for a new world-class, state-of-the-art stadium. Ratcliffe describes the area as the birthplace of the industrial revolution and believes that building a new stadium there could help regenerate the south side of Manchester. This stadium would not only be capable of hosting England games, the FA Cup final, and Champions League finals but would also serve the north of England.
Ratcliffe questions the bias in the UK towards building national stadiums in the south and argues that there should be a venue in the north for England to play at. He highlights the need to consider the north as well as the south in terms of national projects and suggests that a conversation with the national government should take place as part of a regeneration project.
In Ratcliffe’s view, it is only fair that the north receives attention and investment, just like the south. He questions why everyone in the north has to travel to the south for the FA Cup semi-finals and believes that public funding should be considered as part of a national stadium project.
With his ambitious vision for a new stadium that can serve both Manchester United and the north of England, Ratcliffe is poised to make a significant impact on the future of the club and the footballing landscape in the region. As discussions unfold, it remains to be seen whether Ratcliffe’s dream of a northern national stadium will become a reality.