Populous Collaborating with Manchester City as the Architect for the Development of an Entertainment and Leisure Destination at the Etihad Stadium

Manchester City has chosen Populous as the lead architect for the Club’s development of an exceptional fan experience and a year-round entertainment and leisure destination at the Etihad Stadium. Following an extensive design process, the Club’s planning application received approval from Manchester City Council at a meeting on 27th July 2023.

This follows the Club’s fan and community consultation which took place in February and March this year, and the subsequent submission of the full planning application in April.

The approved proposals include several connected all-weather facilities, fully integrated into the stadium, centred around an expanded North Stand with one larger, single upper tier above the existing lower tier, increasing capacity to over 60,000.

Above the upper tier there will be a sky bar with views overlooking the pitch as well as a stadium roof walk experience.

A covered City Square fan zone, with capacity for 3,000 people and a wide variety of food and drink outlets, a new club shop, museum, workspace and a 400-bed hotel will also be constructed as part of the development.

Main construction works are expected to begin on-site in November 2023, resulting in the completion and opening of the North Stand itself during the 2025/26 football season.

The hotel, workspace and public realm works, including City Square, would subsequently complete by late 2026.

This collaboration with Manchester City builds on a long-term relationship between both organisations, which has also seen design work delivered by Populous for the Club’s expansion of the South Stand at the Etihad Stadium in 2015, as well as the development of new player changing rooms and the introduction of ‘The Tunnel Club’ at the Etihad Stadium in 2017.

The Etihad Stadium forms part of the Etihad Campus, also home to Co-op Live, the new live entertainment arena designed by Populous, set to open in April 2024.

Mike Trice, Senior Principal at Populous, said: “We are delighted to once again collaborate with Manchester City as they further expand the Etihad Stadium to create an exciting new destination for fans and the local community.

“For Populous, it is extremely exciting to witness the development of this project, located just a stone’s throw away from another of our projects, the Co-op Live arena. These ambitious ventures represent two of Manchester’s greatest loves — football and music, and will bring significant benefits to the local area by drawing in visitors and delivering further regeneration.”

For more information, please contact: Sean Julliard, sean.julliard@populous.com