Manchester United are considering selling the naming rights to their proposed 100,000-capacity stadium as the club explores new revenue streams to help finance one of the most ambitious redevelopment projects in world football.
The proposal forms part of United’s long-term vision to replace Old Trafford with a state-of-the-art stadium on nearby land recently acquired by the club. The new venue will anchor a wider regeneration project that is expected to transform the surrounding area, creating thousands of jobs and new homes.
Club officials insist no final decisions have been made on either the stadium’s name or the financing model. However, they acknowledge that a naming rights agreement could play a significant role in ensuring the project remains financially sustainable while helping to keep matchday ticket prices affordable for supporters.
Speaking during the unveiling of the draft masterplan for the Old Trafford regeneration scheme, United’s Chief Executive for New Stadium Development, Collette Roche, stressed that commercial opportunities would be carefully evaluated as the club prepares for the next phase of the project.
Naming Rights Seen as Key Revenue Opportunity
Roche confirmed that United are open to following the path taken by several leading European clubs by allowing a commercial partner to acquire the naming rights to the new stadium. “We’ve been really clear from the onset,” she said. “This needs to be a sanity project, not a vanity project.”
While emphasizing that no agreement has been reached, Roche admitted that the club is actively considering the option.
“I don’t know what the stadium will be called. But we’ve been really vocal that we are going to potentially look at naming rights to the stadium.”
Collette Roche
She described naming rights as “an important revenue stream” and revealed the subject has already been discussed with the club’s Fan Advisory Board.
According to Roche, generating additional commercial income is essential if Manchester United are to balance the enormous cost of constructing a modern stadium while maintaining reasonable ticket prices for supporters. “Everybody realises affordable, accessible ticket prices are really important,” she explained. “In order to do that, we need to generate revenue streams in other places.”
The approach mirrors successful commercial partnerships secured by Premier League rivals Arsenal and Manchester City, whose stadiums carry the names of Emirates and Etihad respectively.
Funding Plans Still Being Finalised
Although the redevelopment has previously been valued at around £2 billion, United acknowledge the final cost cannot be determined until the detailed design process has been completed.
Roche cautioned against placing a definitive price tag on the project at this stage. “There’s not a price,” she said. “I can’t go and get a quote on this right now. We have to go through the design process.”
She added that several funding options remain under consideration, including debt financing, equity investment, share issues and partnerships with outside investors.
“We’ve still got all the funding options available to us. We’ve had a lot of approaches, as you’d expect. A few people are saying, ‘I want to be part of this.'”
Collette Roche
Manchester United currently carry debts exceeding £1.3 billion, stemming from legacy costs related to the Glazer family’s takeover, existing credit facilities and outstanding transfer payments. Those financial commitments have fuelled concerns among supporters that a major stadium project could further affect the club’s ability to invest in the playing squad.
Roche, however, insisted the club would only proceed once it had established the most responsible funding structure. “We need to know how much it’s going to cost,” she said, “and then what’s the best way to pay for it.”
Redevelopment Extends Beyond the Stadium
The proposed stadium is expected to become the centrepiece of a much larger regeneration programme covering approximately 370 acres around Old Trafford.
Plans estimate the development could create around 48,000 jobs and deliver approximately 15,000 new homes, making it one of the largest urban regeneration projects currently proposed in the United Kingdom.
While architectural details remain under review, Roche said discussions with design firm Foster and Partners will continue over the coming months before updated plans are presented to supporters, possibly by the end of 2026 or early 2027.
She also reaffirmed that Manchester United have no intention of using public money to finance the construction of the stadium itself.
She clarified, however, that government investment would still be required for wider infrastructure linked to the regeneration project.
Roche also pointed to the successful £50 million redevelopment of the club’s Carrington training complex, completed on schedule and below budget in 2025, as evidence that Manchester United can deliver major infrastructure projects with financial discipline.
If completed, the proposed 100,000-seat stadium would become the largest club football venue in the United Kingdom and mark the beginning of a new era for Manchester United, with commercial partnerships such as naming rights expected to play a central role in turning that vision into reality.
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