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Manchester United have invited fans to have their say over the club’s new £2billion stadium in the clearest indication yet that the controversial ‘tent’ design unveiled last year is not final.
Supporters have two weeks to take part in a survey that will gather their responses on a range of topics including creating a world-class football stadium and match-day experience, protecting United’s heritage and legacy, atmosphere within the ground, the wider area around it and access to the stadium.
It follows United’s largest-ever survey of 50,000 supporters over the future of Old Trafford in September 2024, in which 52 per cent voted in favour of a new 100,000-seater stadium.
As a result, Foster + Partners were asked to design Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s ‘Wembley of the North’, and unveiled a futuristic design last year which was likened to a circus tent.
Fosters have since been formally appointed as architects for the project but Collette Roche, United’s CEO of new stadium development, said in July that the design was ‘not set in stone’.
Sources have confirmed to Daily Mail Sport that it was conceptual, and the club are now going through the actual design process which is committed to giving fans their say.
Announcing the launch of the survey – which will be sent to season ticket holders, cup season ticket holders, executive club members, official members and supporters who have purchased hospitality at Old Trafford within the past three years – Roche said: ‘Our proposed new stadium is one of the most significant projects Manchester United will undertake in the next 100 years, and it is vital that we shape it together with our fans.
‘Above all else, this is a football stadium built for them, so getting the details right matters.
'That’s why we are committed to thorough and transparent engagement, ensuring supporters help inform key decisions on atmosphere, affordability, accessibility and the traditions that have made Old Trafford so special for so long.
‘Our engagement with supporters since 2024 has shown there is genuine excitement about the prospect of a new stadium, but we also recognise that some fans will have important questions and concerns.
‘Listening to those views and ensuring they are shaping the design is a vital part of the process. By working together, we can create a world-class football stadium that supports success on the pitch, reflects the identity of Manchester United, and gives fans a home they can be proud of for generations to come.’
The stadium rebuild and wider regeneration project is expected to deliver around 15,000 new homes, including affordable housing, create 48,000 new jobs locally and over 90,000 nationally, and add more than £7bn a year to the UK economy.