Brighton & Hove Albion to launch Premier League’s largest fan zone in €48.2m upgrade
Brighton & Hove Albion has revealed plans to open a new fan zone, named The Terrace, at the American Express Stadium this spring. This marks the completion of the first phase of a €48.2m investment project aimed at enhancing the matchday experience and modernising the stadium.
The Terrace will provide fans with a vibrant pre- and post-match sports bar environment. It will accommodate up to 1,000 supporters during colder months, with the capacity to expand outdoors to 2,000 in warmer weather. Once open, the club claims it will be the largest fan zone in the Premier League. This phase of upgrades also included new signage, wayfinding and branding installed earlier in the summer. The Terrace will serve as a dedicated bar area for general admission ticket holders, while one of the north concourse bars will be renamed Dick’s Bar following a refurbishment in the summer of 2025.
The second phase of the project will focus on revamping the club store, which is undergoing its first major renovation since the stadium’s 2011 opening. The new store, spanning two levels, will replace the existing club museum and Dick’s Bar to better serve growing demand. A temporary store will open on 15 January, while the museum is set to move to a new city-centre location by 2026 or 2027.
Phase three will see the addition of a new 1901 Club area in the north stand, increasing stadium capacity to 32,500 ahead of the 2026-27 season. The club also plans to introduce safe standing next season and relocate away fans to the south-west corner of the ground by 2027.
Benfica eyes future with vision for 120,000-capacity stadium
Benfica vice-president Rui Passo has outlined an ambitious vision for the Portuguese football club to return to a 120,000-capacity stadium, reminiscent of its historic home. While acknowledging the limitations of the current Estadio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica, Passo emphasized the need to plan for a larger, future-oriented venue.
The current stadium, which holds 65,642 fans, is set for a renovation that will increase its capacity to 70,000 by the 2026-27 season. Despite this expansion, Passo highlighted that safety, comfort and regulatory constraints prevent further growth. He envisions a new stadium to meet the demand, which continues to exceed capacity. Currently, nearly 17,000 fans are on a waiting list for season tickets, a number that will still leave about 12,000 unfulfilled even after the planned upgrade.
Passo suggested repurposing the current stadium to focus on women’s football and rugby, aspiring to attract audiences of up to 60,000 for these events. “We must start dreaming about a new stadium,” he stated, expressing confidence that such a project could elevate the club’s offerings for fans across various sports.
Real Madrid simplifies stadium name to ‘Bernabéu amid sponsorship speculation
Real Madrid appears to have streamlined the name of its iconic stadium to simply “Bernabéu” across its digital platforms. While the club has not officially announced the change, it is evident on the stadium’s official website, social media accounts, and the Bernabéu Tour branding.
The move is seen as a step toward simplifying the stadium’s identity while potentially opening doors to sponsorship opportunities. Adding a commercial partner’s name to the stadium could provide a significant financial boost, especially as renovations continue. However, any permanent name change would require approval from Real Madrid’s General Assembly of members, which represents the interests of its fans.
Despite the ongoing renovation and an additional €380 million loan for funding, Real Madrid’s financial health remains robust. The club recently reported a milestone operating income of over €1 billion for the 2023-24 financial year, exceeding expectations. Further substantial growth is anticipated in 2024-25 when the revamped Bernabéu becomes fully operational across all business segments.
Valladolid mayor confirms José Zorrilla renovation progress
Valladolid Mayor Jesús Julio Carnero has reassured fans that renovation work on Real Valladolid’s José Zorrilla stadium remains on track, despite club president Ronaldo Nazario’s intention to sell his majority stake in the club. The mayor emphasized the commitment of the city council and the LaLiga club to the remodelling of the 27,618-seat stadium and the development of a new “sports city” on the premises. He highlighted a “good, fluid and communicative” relationship with the club to ensure these projects continue uninterrupted.
Plans for the stadium redevelopment include a €40m investment in a new roof covering three stands and the addition of an upper south stand, increasing capacity to 30,000 – 32,000. The €15m sports city project will feature a 2,000-capacity stadium, two new pitches and facilities for club staff and youth academy players, spanning 40,000 square meters.
Ronaldo owns an 82.7% stake in Real Valladolid through Tara Sports 2018 SL. His announcement to sell comes shortly after selling his share in Brazilian club Cruzeiro, where he halved the club’s debt and returned it to the top flight of domestic football before exiting. While Ronaldo’s tenure has been marked by financial improvements, on-field performance has drawn criticism during his leadership at both Cruzeiro and Valladolid. However, Carnero’s assurances suggest that the ongoing infrastructure projects will proceed as planned, ensuring a brighter future for the club regardless of any ownership changes.
Cagliari President celebrates progress on new stadium project
Tommaso Giulini, president of Serie A club Cagliari, has welcomed the signing of a landmark agreement between the city and Region of Sardinia, paving the way for the construction of a long-awaited new stadium. The agreement updates and replaces a similar deal made at the end of 2023, incorporating changes to the project’s scope and details. The new stadium will initially hold 25,200 fans and aims to be a host venue for the 2032 UEFA European Championship, which Italy will co-host with Turkey. Plans for the stadium were finalised in the summer of 2022, with the site to be built on the grounds of the old Stadio Sant’Elia. Cagliari has been playing at the temporary Unipol Domus since 2017 while awaiting the new facility.
The Region of Sardinia will contribute €50m toward the project, while the Municipality of Cagliari will handle the demolition of the existing Sant’Elia structure at a cost of €10m. Additionally, a private entity, to be selected via a tender process, will finance and construct a 126-room hotel and accommodation facilities tied to the stadium. These elements are integral to the project’s Economic and Financial Plan, which will be submitted to the Ministry of Economy and Finance for approval.
Valencia to restart construction of Nou Mestalla Stadium with FCC Construcción
Valencia CF has appointed FCC Construcción to complete the long-stalled Nou Mestalla stadium project, with construction set to resume this week. The project has been on hold since the beginning of 2009 but is now moving forward following significant financial and administrative breakthroughs.
FCC, which previously worked on Atlético Madrid’s Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Espanyol’s RCDE Stadium and the redevelopment of Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu, will oversee the completion of the 70,044-capacity stadium. Grupo Bertolín, originally part of the project’s joint venture, will no longer participate.
The Nou Mestalla will feature a striking open façade of metal strips and a revised seating plan, initially limiting capacity to 49,000 before expanding to its full 70,000 seats. The project, set to be completed within 30 months.
Ulster GAA insists Casement Park costs are overstated amid push for completion
Ulster GAA secretary Brian McAvoy has dismissed rumours of a €480m-plus price tag for the redevelopment of Belfast’s Casement Park, calling them “wildly exaggerated.” While acknowledging that funding gaps, with only €145m secured so far, McAvoy reiterated the Gaelic Athletic Association’s commitment to completing the project.
Casement Park, derelict since 2013, was initially included as a venue in the UK and Ireland’s Euro 2028 bid. However, it was dropped after the UK government declined to contribute to the redevelopment, citing escalating costs. Plans for the stadium now target a more modest rebuild, avoiding UEFA’s stringent requirements, which should significantly reduce costs.
The redeveloped Casement Park is expected to have a capacity of over 30,000, similar to its original size. GAA president Jarlath Burns described the new design as “basic and modest” but fit for purpose, following discussions with Northern Ireland’s Minister of Communities Gordon Lyons.
Catalans Dragons CEO calls for progress on Stade Gilbert Brutus expansion
Catalans Dragons chief executive Bernard Guasch has voiced frustration over delays in the development of the Stade Gilbert Brutus, the shared home of the French rugby league side and rugby union team USA Perpignan. Guasch is pushing for progress on the project this month, warning of potential consequences if agreements are not finalised soon.
The stadium currently holds 13,180 spectators. Originally opened in 1962, it has undergone three expansions, the latest in 2011. Despite its history, both Catalans Dragons and USA Perpignan see the need for further development to remain competitive.
François Rivière, president of USA Perpignan, highlighted the importance of increasing seating capacity for corporate partners. “We must work on the partner reception where we only have 1,800 seats, when there are 4,500 in La Rochelle.”
Guasch echoed this sentiment, stressing that a lack of expansion hampers both clubs’ potential for growth. “If the agreements between the communities, town hall, department and region are not finalised in January, I will get angry because I am exhausted,” he stated.
