Arsenal have been exploring the potential options of an expansion to the existing Emirates Stadium, football.london understands. While talks have been more speculative and preliminary over the past 18 months, major changes have seen a surge in expectations over the project.
Those changes relate to figures like Otto Maly and David Steiner, who both have significant experience and expertise in real estate, joining the Arsenal board. While the club’s owners, Kroenke Sports Entertainment, have already seen the construction of a major project, the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
In addition, Arsenal’s north London Rivals, Tottenham, now play in their own new ground with both a greater capacity than the Emirates Stadium and with a greater pull it seems for events and other sporting occasions such as the NFL. With Stan Kroenke owning his own NFL team, the LA Rams, it would make sense that he would want his London stadia to be the home of the sport in the capital and not his rivals’.
It is worth noting that this project is still some way off it’s initiation, so much so that describing it as an Emirates Stadium expansion may not even be correct. Currently, Emirates’ partnership with Arsenal over the stadium runs until 2028.
When the latest renewal was announced in 2023, the UAE-based company said in a statement on their website: “Our relationship with Arsenal FC dates back to 2006 and our recent extension to 2028 means this will be the longest-running front-of-shirt sponsorship in Premier League history. The agreement also extends and deepens one of the strongest and most recognisable partnerships in the world of sport.
“We’re also proud to hold the naming rights to Arsenal’s home ground, the Emirates Stadium. The 60,000-seat stadium in North London is part of the fabric of the club, and with our renewed sponsorship deal, Arsenal’s home will continue to be known as the Emirates Stadium until 2028.”
Due to regulations, the Emirates Stadium is simply known as “The Arsenal Stadium” in UEFA competitions. Outside of this, its other name is Ashburton Grove, based on the land it has been built on.
Should the club and Emirates not agree to renew beyond 2028, the arena’s expansion could, therefore, bear a new name. What that might be, though, is entirely unknown, as is when a decision on a renovation might happen.
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