Manchester United hope new stadium will host 2035 World Cup final, aim to finish project in 5 to 6 years
United announced plans in March to build a new 100,000 capacity stadium, replacing their 115-year Old Trafford home. The cost of the project is forecast to reach £2billion ($2.59bn).
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The 2035 World Cup will be held across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Tournament stadiums have not yet been confirmed, though United hope to be one of the selected venues and hold the ambition to host the final.
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham announced a 10-year growth plan for the area on Wednesday as part of the intent to build the stadium and carry out a wider regeneration programme in the city.
The appointment of Lord Sebastian Coe, president of World Athletics and former chairman of the British Olympic Association, as chair-designate of the Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) for the project was also announced.
'Throughout my career, I've seen the difference that sports-led regeneration can make in fostering strong communities and acting as a catalyst for economic growth,' said Coe. 'That was certainly true of the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics – and now, I believe, Greater Manchester's moment has come.
'Working with Trafford Council and the Mayor, there's huge potential to bring new homes and jobs to the area around the Manchester United stadium. And looking ahead, I see a chance to bring the FIFA Women's World Cup to a new Old Trafford Stadium in 2035. The home nations are the sole bidder, which presents a rare opportunity to bid to host the global football family.'
The 2035 World Cup will mark the second time that the tournament is contested by 48 teams after the 2031 edition, which will be hosted by the United States and Mexico.
A survey of United supporters last year identified that 52 per cent of fans asked were in favour of building a new stadium from scratch, while 31 per cent preferred to see Old Trafford redeveloped.
London-based architecture firm Fosters + Partners selected will lead the project. The company revealed digital renders of the stadium in March, which included a three-pronged stadium canopy inspired by the Red Devils trident on the club's badge.
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United said in a press release in March that the project has the potential to generate an additional £7.3billion ($9.7bn) for the local economy, create 92,000 job opportunities, build more than 17,000 new homes, as well as drive an additional 1.8 million visitors annually.
The stadium project comes at a tumultuous time at United after finishing 15th in the Premier League and losing the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur. Ticket prices have increased for next season to the disapproval of supporters' groups and hundreds of staff members have been made redundant after cost-cutting measures implemented by part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
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Soccer was more than just soccer and it had become a national sport. Taking something about football and the England team at the time and opening it up culturally and gender-wise, to me, felt like the right way to push all the right buttons in terms of what I wanted to say about Britain and what Britain looked like to me compared to what I saw on screen. 'At that time, Britain was changing.' She mentions Norman Tebbit, the British Conservative Party politician who recently passed away but, in 1990, had suggested that those people living in England who support their native countries, including South Asian and Caribbean sides, when they face the English cricket team are not sufficiently integrated; the so-called 'Tebbit test' was a source of significant media coverage and debate. 'So sports and national identity were interlinked,' continues Chadha. 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