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Old Trafford

Old Trafford

Archibald Leitch

Photo: Arne Müseler from Salzburg, AT · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Location
Manchester, United Kingdom
Client / Owner
Manchester United
Year
Completed 1910
Typology
Cultural
Style
—

The Scottish architect Archibald Leitch designed Old Trafford in 1909. It was planned for 100,000 spectators, cut to about 80,000 because of costs. It opened on February 19, 1910, with a 4–3 loss to Liverpool, and its central tunnel is the only surviving original part. A German raid on March 11, 1941, destroyed much of the stadium, and the club played at Maine Road until 1949.

Cantilevered roofs replaced the view-blocking pillars in 1965. The north stand was rebuilt in 1995 and 1996 with a cantilever roof of 192 feet (58.5 m), described as the largest in Europe. Capacity is 74,158, the largest club stadium in the United Kingdom. Bobby Charlton called it the Theatre of Dreams.

It hosted Euro 96, matches in the 2012 Olympics and the Women's Euro 2022 opener. The club museum opened in 1998. On March 11, 2025, the club confirmed plans to replace the stadium with a new 100,000-seat ground designed by Foster and Partners.

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