It’s felt like a long time coming, but the Anfield Road Stand should be ready to be fully opened for the 2023/24 season. It’s going to offer fans a whole new experience when they visit Anfield, with incredible new views and facilities.
We thought we’d take the time to have a deeper look at what changes have been made to the Anfield Road Stand, and what fans can expect when they start attending matches there next season. Let’s take a look.
A Brief History Of The Anfield Road Stand Expansion
The Anfield Road Stand redevelopment is phase two of a expansion project that began way back in 2014 when Liverpool Council agreed a deal with Liverpool FC to invest in the Anfield area of the city – a deal worth around £260 million. This settled any debate about whether Liverpool FC would leave Anfield and move to a new stadium – perhaps the most iconic football stadium in the world was to carry on being the home for Liverpool FC.
In 2014, the club submitted plans for the expansion of the Main Stand, adding 8,500 seats and taking the overall stadium capacity up to 54,742. Construction on the Main Stand was completed in September 2016, while further construction on the changing rooms and media facilities continued until 2017.
Then it was time to turn their attention to the second phase. In 2019, plans for the new stand were finalised and were due to be submitted for approval in early 2020 – but then Covid happened. With all the financial instability that surrounded the pandemic, Liverpool FC held off. Plans were eventually approved in June 20201 and work began in September 2012, with Jürgen Klopp breaking the ground at a ceremony (the contractors, the Buckingham Group, took over from there!)
The lower tier was retained and remained open throughout, with the upper tier being constructed around this – adding a new structure around the existing stand.
The new stand was to cost £60 million to build, and bring the overall capacity of Anfield Stadium up to 61,000 – the fourth highest in the Premier League. Liverpool FC have requested that their first match of the 2023/24 season be scheduled for an away fixture to give them a little more time to complete everything, but as it stands, everything is on schedule to be ready for the start of next season, as planned.
What Changes Have Been Made To The Anfield Road Stand?
The redevelopment of the Anfield Road Stand will enhance the Anfield experience for both home and away fans – it’s not just about increasing the capacity.
First of all, it is going to look amazing. The brickwork design, in keeping with the rest of the stadium, will be quite the sight as fans make their way over Stanley Park on their approach to the ground.
There will be a new roof added, and the corner filled in between the new stand and the Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand – crucially though, they will remain separate stands to keep the unique Anfield atmosphere. There will still be great access to the Anfield Road Stand from Stanley Park. Part of the redevelopment will include the Family Park being moved into a covered position for the 2023-24 season.
From a practical point of view, there will be more flexibility on how they configure the away end – the number of away supporters will change depending on the opposition and even the competition; FA Cup matches require a higher allocation to away teams.
The concourse and ‘back of house’ facilities will be improved to match those of the new Main Stand – getting food and drink should be much easier, with more choice as well. There will also be improvements to the sound system and lighting as Liverpool hope to make Anfield a truly world-class stadium.
Finally, there will also be a brand new hospitality area in the new stand – more on that later.
When Will The Anfield Road Stand Be Officially Opened?
The plan is that in the second week of the 2023/24 season, Liverpool will have a home game and then the Anfield Road Stand will be officially opened.
Brodies
A big part of the redevelopment of the Anfield Road Stand was an opportunity to upgrade the hospitality facilities at Anfield. We’re really excited about the new Sports Bar hospitality area – Brodies.
Promising to be a hospitality experience that captures the “true spirit of football”, this looks like it will be every Liverpool fan’s dream. Throughout the entire area, the walls will be adorned with designs and graphics celebrating some iconic moments in Liverpool’s history. Salah’s curler against Everton, plus memorable strikes from Origi, Diaz, Garcia and Mané. A great setting for fans to entertain clients, or just enjoy with friends and family.
Add to that some amazing street food dishes and drinks, and you’ve got the perfect setting to get ready for a match – which you enjoy from the comfort of your padded seats in the brand new stand, with incredible views of the pitch, and the Kop.
On top of all this, you will get some halftime refreshments, a match programme and even a visit from a former Liverpool legend. It’s an incredible package.
If you want to be one of the first people to experience the Brodies hospitality package, get in touch with us today and we will make sure you are there next season to cheer the team on.
