Arsenal are preparing an ambitious expansion of the Emirates Stadium that could see them temporarily move home matches to Wembley while construction takes place.
The north London club are exploring a redevelopment that would increase capacity from 60,700 to beyond 70,000, making it the largest football ground in London and surpassing both Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United.
According to the Telegraph, detailed design work is already underway, with architects examining ways to adjust the gradient of the stands and reconfigure the seating plan to fit in more fans.
The project would largely preserve the Emirates’ distinctive exterior but involve extensive alterations inside the bowl.
Club executives believe that increasing capacity could significantly boost matchday revenue and help address the long-running season ticket waiting list, which now exceeds 100,000 supporters.
The scale of the plans means the project could cost several hundred million pounds and take place over multiple phases.
It is also likely that Arsenal would need to relocate while work is carried out, and Wembley Stadium is being considered as the most practical temporary home.
The club remained at Highbury while the Emirates was being built two decades ago, but a full-scale redevelopment of this kind would not allow the same continuity.
Arsenal are preparing an ambitious expansion of the Emirates Stadium that could see them temporarily move home matches to Wembley while construction takes place
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The Emirates will celebrate its 20th anniversary next August, yet Arsenal’s matchday standing has slipped in recent years.
The club now ranks fifth in the Premier League for average attendance, behind West Ham, Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester United.
According to Deloitte, Arsenal earned an average of €121million in annual gate receipts between 2021 and 2024, around €7m less than Tottenham and €22m behind Manchester United.
By comparison, Real Madrid have almost doubled their matchday income to €241m following their recent renovation of the Santiago Bernabéu, a benchmark Arsenal are keen to emulate.
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Arsenal moved to the Emirates Stadium all the way back in 2006
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Although the club faces challenges due to the Emirates’ location within a tight 17-acre site in Islington, early consultations with architects have been promising.
The surrounding area includes several transport links such as the Victoria and Piccadilly lines and the Great Northern railway, which limits the scope for outward expansion.
However, changes to local planning rules since the stadium’s original construction could allow Arsenal to build higher than before, providing a rare opportunity to expand within the same footprint.
Architectural experts estimate that even adding a single new row of seats could bring an additional 1,000 fans, while the current seating layout - known for being more spacious than most- could be reconfigured to accommodate further capacity.
The club is also exploring whether the sloped roof, designed to maximise airflow and sunlight, can be modified to support the redevelopment.
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Wembley previously hosted Tottenham matches while they waited to move into their new ground
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A working group within Arsenal is modelling various options and assessing the potential return on investment.
Executives believe the expansion would bring long-term financial and competitive benefits, allowing the club to generate higher matchday revenues and strengthen its global stature.
If the project proceeds, it would represent the most significant transformation of the Emirates since it opened in 2006.
For supporters, it could also mean the return of full houses week after week in one of the most modern and commercially successful football arenas in Europe.