The reconstruction of Liverpool’s Anfield Road Stand will not be completed in time for the club’s first Premier League home match.
The Reds have been working on expanding their historic stadium to enhance capacity from 54,000 to 61,000 people.
Following the completion of the refurbishment of their main stand in 2016, the Anfield Road End is the stadium’s most recent modification.
Work began in September 2021, and spectators have been permitted to attend games in the north-east stand of Anfield since then.
Footage of the expansion was revealed in June, and the project was claimed to be on track to be finished in time for the new season.
This is no longer the case, and their first Premier League home match of the season, against Bournemouth, will be played in front of an empty top tier in the Anfield Road End on August 19.
Liverpool requested in May that the match against the Cherries be played away from home to give time for the renovations to be completed, but it was emphatically denied.
Buckingham Group, the project’s major contractor, has verified that the rest of the stand will remain open.
“This has been a hugely ambitious and complex construction project right from the start,” Liverpool managing director Andy Hughes said. “I would like to thank everyone who has played a part.”
“Unfortunately, the upper tier of the Anfield Road Stand will be unavailable for the Bournemouth match.” Buckingham, the principal contractor, will so collaborate with Liverpool City Council’s licensing staff to deliver a staggered opening.
“There are always so many variables and challenges along the way, as with any complex major construction project of this scale.”
“We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding as we work with Buckingham over the next few weeks to complete this program, and we can’t wait to have this fantastic new Anfield Road Stand fully open for supporters.”
The new-look Anfield Road End’s phased opening procedure is now scheduled to conclude in October.
Inside Anfield, there will be an extra 5,200 general admission seats, as well as 1,800 seats with’sports bar lounge/hospitality amenities’ once it is completed.
Liverpool’s stadium will also have the third largest capacity in the Premier League.
Rivals Manchester United leads the way with 75,653 seats at Old Trafford, while Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has 62,062.
