Man United weigh dropping canopy from £2bn Old Trafford revamp as land dispute slows project

Manchester United is rethinking its plans for a proposed £2 billion Old Trafford redevelopment, with officials weighing whether to drop the controversial canopy that was to cover the new 100,000-seat stadium.

Unveiled in March as part of a collaboration with Foster + Partners, the proposals described a vast canopy described as an umbrella shielding the stand structure. The design featured three prongs intended to echo the devil's trident on United's crest. While supporters and critics debated its appearance, club officials emphasized the concept was initial and could change. The canopy was central to the presentation shared by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and architect Sir Norman Foster, who argued the project would set a global standard for football stadium design. Critics, however, compared the canopy to a circus tent and argued it clashed with Manchester's skyline and the club's history.

Since then, United has begun reconsidering the design options in light of practical constraints and shifting priorities, including whether the canopy remains part of the project. Officials have signaled that the initial vision was conceptual and could change as plans evolved, with discussions focusing on how the stadium’s footprint and appearance would fit the surrounding area and how much space the project would actually require.

A central factor shaping the rethink is the uneasy land negotiations around Old Trafford. Freightliner, the rail freight and logistics company that owns a key tranche of land surrounding the stadium, has been cited as a stumbling block in the project timeline. Freightliner is understood to be asking roughly £400 million for the land, while United had projected a purchase price closer to £50 million. That gulf has left the parties at an impasse and prompted United to explore designs that would require less space, potentially reducing the amount of land needed for construction and clearing.

The canopy itself carried a hefty price tag, with estimates ranging from £300 million to £400 million. While officials said the canopy’s impact would be largely aesthetic, the cost would still be a significant factor in any decision to retain or drop the feature as part of the redevelopment.

As the club weighs options, officials say the new designs are likely to resemble more traditional stadium aesthetics, with less emphasis on a dramatic canopy. That shift could make the project less visually idiosyncratic, but club representatives have stressed that a final decision will balance identity with practicality and financial realism. Manchester United had previously sought government funding for parts of the project and received backing from Chancellor Rachel Reeves, though detailed terms and scope of such support remain to be finalized. In March, Ratcliffe acknowledged the ambition, saying the brief to Norman Foster was to create the world’s most iconic football stadium and to ensure the venue would be instantly recognizable as Manchester United to visitors around the world.

British planners and football authorities will be watching how United navigates the remaining hurdles, including potential changes to the stadium’s footprint, the sequencing of development, and the financial framework required to bring a new Old Trafford to life. The club has emphasized that discussions with landowners, infrastructure partners, and government entities are ongoing, and that any final plan will reflect a balance between the club’s long-term ambitions and the realities of funding and land availability.

United are expected to announce concrete next steps once the design options have been evaluated against cost, risk, and schedule. In the meantime, supporters and stakeholders alike will await updates on whether the distinctive canopy remains part of the project or whether a revised plan will embrace a more conventional stadium silhouette while preserving the club’s identity.