Manchester United’s new stadium: Plans in place to build the stadium in time to host the 2035 Women’s World Cup final

Manchester United are still aiming to build their new stadium ready to host the 2035 Women’s World Cup final.

It has been more than a year since the club’s co-owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, unveiled big plans to create a 100,000-seat stadium near the site of their current stadium at Old Trafford.

At the time, Ratcliffe talked about trying to reduce the construction period to a five-year timeline, raising expectations about how quickly the project could get underway.

However, as was specifically noted, at that stage the club did not have the land to build on, the plans were not ready and there was no detailed business case.

The five years, in fact, start from the point where United get the green light to put spades in the ground.

“We said the construction would take between four and five years,” Colette Roche, recently appointed by United as chief development officer for the new stadium, told the club’s Inside Carrington podcast.

“People read into it because the stadium could be ready for 2030. But it takes a year or two to get ready to build, put together the land, come up with the money and get planning permission.

“That’s the part we’re doing now. We haven’t set an opening date, but we’re on track with those timelines.”

United sources had previously told BBC Sport that the aim was to host the finals in 2035. That particular message has now been repeated.

United sources had previously told BBC Sport that the aim was to host the 2035 finals. That particular message has now been repeated as Roche told Manchester United TV: “Our plan is to be able to host other international sporting and entertainment events.

“Andy Burnham, the mayor, said his ambition is for us to host the Women’s World Cup final in 2035, so if we can achieve that, it will be incredible.”