Emirates Stadium Move

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

In 1997, Arsenal explored the possibility of relocating to a new stadium, having been denied planning permission by Islington Council to expand its home stadium, Highbury. After considering various options (including purchasing Wembley Stadium), the club bought an industrial and waste disposal estate in Ashburton Grove in 2000. A year later, they received the council's approval to build a stadium on the site; manager Arsène Wenger described this as the 'biggest decision in Arsenal's history' since the board appointed Herbert Chapman in the 1920s. Relocation plans began in 2002, but financial difficulties delayed work until 2004. Emirates was later announced as the main sponsor for the stadium. The entire stadium project was completed in 2006 at a cost of £390 million. The club's former stadium was redeveloped as Highbury Square, an apartment complex.

In Their Own Story

Financial viability drove the relocation as much as capacity. Arsenal received no public subsidy, unlike French clubs or Bayern Munich, and had to buy the site outright in expensive London. To fund the £390 million project, the club sold shares to Granada Media Group in September 2000 for £47 million, with managing director Keith Edelman confirming the funds were directed to the stadium. Player sales also played a crucial role; over £50 million was recouped from transfers including Nicolas Anelka to Real Madrid and Marc Overmars and Emmanuel Petit to Barcelona. Construction faced delays due to financial difficulties until 2004, with Emirates later announced as the main sponsor. The entire project finished in 2006, transforming the former industrial estate into a 60,704-seat arena. Meanwhile, the old Highbury ground was redeveloped into the Highbury Square apartment complex. Since 2009, the new stadium has undergone "Arsenalisation" to restore visible historical links, while maintaining its role as a venue for international football and music acts.

Reader's Guide

The quality of Arsenal's pitch and groundsmanship have been recognised internationally and led to it being nicknamed 'the Carpet' by matchgoing fans and the wider sports media. Since 2009, the stadium has undergone a process of 'Arsenalisation' with an aim of restoring visible links to Arsenal's history. The stadium hosts international football fixtures (including often acting as a de facto ground of the Brazil national team in Europe), as well as hosting international music acts on a regular basis.

Did You Know?

• Arsenal made an official bid to purchase Wembley Stadium in March 1998, not 1997.
• Islington Council approved the planning application on 10 December 2001, but final planning permission was granted in May 2002.
• A legal challenge was dismissed in July 2002, but a further legal challenge by small firms was upheld in January 2005.
• Construction began after financial delays pushed work to 2004, but the source does not specify the exact month construction started.