Everton confident new home to be ready by 2024

Article posted by Coliseum, July 7^th, 2023

Image: Everton FC

The Premier League team Everton F.C. (UK) say they are confident they will have completed construction of their new £500million ($632m) dockland stadium halfway through the 2024-2025 seasons.

‘The Athletic’ stated that the club have yet to decide whether to move to the new 52,888-seater ground during that campaign, or wait until the start of the following 2025-2026 term.

The Everton Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Liverpool (UK) that competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football.

The Goodison Park is a football stadium in the Walton area of Liverpool, England (UK), two miles North of the City Centre. It has been the home of the Premier League club Everton since 1892 and has an all-seated capacity of 39,414. The Goodison Park has hosted more top-flight games than any other stadium in England.

The 52,888-capacity Everton Stadium at the Bramley-Moore Dock is an under-construction football stadium that will become the home ground for Everton F.C. Located on Bramley-Moore Dock in Vauxhall, Liverpool, England (UK), it is set to open in the 2024-2025 seasons, replacing Goodison Park.

‘The Athletic’ further stated that the new interim Chief Executive Colin Chong, who has been leading the stadium build, said the latter option could allow a “fitting send-off” for their current Goodison Park home.

Chong said the build is ahead of schedule despite a “challenging” Winter and is confident that the end result will be a source of pride for the supporters – “We are confident the stadium will be completed in the final months of 2024. This means we won’t be starting the 2024 season at the Everton Stadium – but, to reiterate, the club has never publicly confirmed an intention to begin the 2024-2025 seasons at our new home. If the project remains on schedule, it raises the question as to whether the club moves in mid-season or alternatively, do we wait and give ‘The Grand Old Lady’ a fitting send-off before commencing competitive league games for the senior men’s team at the start of the 2025-2026 seasons.”

Added Chong, “Whatever decision is reached, it won’t be based on sentiment, it will be reached in consultation with the fans, while also considering the impacts it will have across our football club in terms of our football operation, our commercial partners and the third-party contracts, our staff, seasonal workflows, and the impact, of course, on the supporters. Moving mid-season may offer some commercial benefits, but also presents a series of challenges and hurdles that could negatively impact other aspects of the club – and other commercial considerations.”

Chong, who became the interim head honcho after the resignation of the former Chief Executive Denise Barrett-Baxendale in June this year, added, “Those of you who know me, know how much this club means to me and my family. That is why I was proud to accept the role of the interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Everton Football Club – and I fully understand the responsibilities that come with this role and everything that is expected of me in the time I am in position.”

Everton narrowly avoided relegation from the Premier League in May this year with a win on the final day of the season. ‘The Toffees’ beat the drop after beating their peer team A.F.C. Bournemouth at home, in a fight for survival which came down to the final game of the season.

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