‘Everton to spend millions after stunning U-turn’ – statement sends fans wild
Everton fans will still be able to attend matches at Goodison Park beyond this season after the club have announced a U-turn on their plans for the stadium.
The Premier League side are set to leave Goodison at the end of the current campaign, having played at the stadium since 1892.
They will move into their new state-of-the-art facility on Bramley-Moore Dock ahead of the 2025-26 campaign.
Despite the development initially being projected to cost around £500million, it is now expected to set the club back more than £800million.
Everton have hosted test events at the 52,888-seater stadium over the past few months as they gear up for next season.
The Friedkin Group (TFG) is hoping the move will help significantly improve the Merseyside giants’ revenues after completing its takeover in December.
Everton’s owners are looking to take a US-style approach towards matchdays at the new stadium.
The club’s revenue increased from £172million in 2022-23 to £187million last season, while their commercial income dropped slightly from £38.9million to £38.5million across the same period.
Everton owners make huge Goodison decision after review
Everton had initially planned to demolish Goodison following their move to Bramley-Moore Dock this summer.
However, it has now been confirmed the 39,572-capacity stadium is set to become the permanent home of Everton Women.
In their official statement, the club said: “The decision follows an in-depth review of the Goodison Legacy project by TFG since their takeover in December.
“The Goodison Legacy project was launched in 2020 to define the future of Goodison. After an in-depth review, TFG decided that football must be kept at the heart of Everton’s community.”
The news has been taken well by the Everton fans as it will provide them with the opportunity to continue attending games at Goodison well into the future.
| Ranking | Stadium | Capacity |
| 1 | Old Trafford (Man United) | 74,197 |
| 2 | Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (Tottenham) | 62,850 |
| 3 | London Stadium (West Ham) | 62,500 |
| 4 | Anfield (Liverpool) | 61,276 |
| 5 | Emirates Stadium (Arsenal) | 60,704 |
| 6 | Etihad Stadium (Man City) | 52,900 |
| 7 | Everton Stadium – when open (Everton) | 52,888 |
Everton could face £2m+ hit
Former Goodison chief Keith Wyness told Football Insider Everton faced a £2million-a-year bill to keep the stadium fit for purpose during his time at the club.
The ex-CEO was in charge of the Merseysiders between 2004 and 2009, so those costs are likely to have increased over the past 15-20 years.
Everton also confirmed the women’s team’s move to Goodison will include “enhancements that will be made over time and will ensure adequate facilities are in place before the start of the season”.
The decision is going to cost the club millions, but TFG has made a strong commitment to the fans, community and women’s team and should be applauded for that.
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