Exclusive: FSG’s plans for Anfield Stadium could result in a reduced crowd capacity
Liverpool Football Club (LFC) may reduce the capacity of Anfield Stadium if the team’s owner, Fenway Sports Group (FSG), decides to further refurbish the stadium.
An expansion of the Anfield Road Stand will bring the stadium’s capacity to over 61,000.
However, if FSG moves ahead with its reported plan to refurbish the Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand, which has a current capacity of 12,000, reconfiguring areas in the lower tier could give fans more room but ultimately reduce the stadium’s capacity.
Anfield’s capacity may decrease due to further renovation
The Lower Kenny Dalglish Stand has been around since before the 1990s, and the Upper tier is over 30 years old.
The lower part can hold 6,814 people, and the upper can hold 4,600. Together with executive boxes, the overall capacity of the stand is 11,762, which is the smallest in the stadium after the Anfield Road Stand was renovated with the smallest legroom and the fewest facilities for supporters.
It’s unrealistic to think about adding a new tier or renovating the Sir Kenny Stand in the same way as the Main Stand because it would require demolishing occupied homes on Skerries Road.
The Main Stand renovation involved demolishing disused houses, which is not the case with the Sir Kenny Stand.
However, upgrading the Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand would be a smart move to offer modern amenities and wider internal concourses throughout the stadium.
A joint report by Nick Harris and Alex Miller for The Daily Mail stated:
“Liverpool may see the capacity of Anfield reduced if owners FSG decide to refurbish the famous stadium any further.
The club is set to open an expanded Anfield Road End stand in time for next season, with the new £80m development taking Anfield’s capacity to 61,000 — the fourth largest in the Premier League.
The owners are unlikely to completely rebuild the stand as they have done with the Anfield Road End or Main Stand, due to the close proximity of nearby housing.”
Nevertheless, LFC will not demolish homes on Skerries Road directly behind the stand, unlike the renovation of the Main Stand that required demolishing an entire street.
LFC’s continued commitment to improving the stadium shows FSG’s dedication to the club, though fans should not expect a significant change soon.
