New Crystal Palace Stadium: The Long-Awaited Selhurst Park Expansion

Crystal Palace’s stadium redevelopment has been in the works for years but is close to getting started now. Find out about the stadium’s history, what will be new with the redevelopment and how it will improve the overall fan experience.

Last updated: 15/06/2023 at 12:00

London-based side Crystal Palace is one of the few teams in the Premier League who has plans to expand their stadium.

With a need for many stadiums to renovate and bring their home grounds into the present day, fans are getting treated to more and more stunning new venues packed with the newest innovations and amenities.

The Eagles’ new stadium project has been in the works for some time, but stumbling blocks have been in place to slow things down. It seems as though the last hurdles will be cleared and work will begin soon.

With that, let us fill you in on what will be coming to the new Crystal Palace stadium expansion.

History of Selhurst Park

Selhurst Park has been the home of Crystal Palace since 1924. It has a capacity of 25,486 and has also seen Charlton Athletic and AFC Wimbledon take up temporary residence.

The stadium has been expanded twice and renovated five times in its lifetime, with the last major redevelopment coming in 1994. It’s safe to say that these planned renovations are long overdue.

Selhurst Park has been somewhat brought into the spotlight in recent years, probably without many people realising.

The Apple TV+ series ‘Ted Lasso’, is about an American Coach who becomes the manager of the fictional team AFC Richmond. The team plays their home games at ‘Nelson Road’, which in real life is Selhurst Park.

Selhurst Park expansion plans

The original plans for expansion were announced in 2018. It is to be a £100million renovation to bring the stadium closer in terms of the quality of modern Premier League grounds.

The plans weren’t just for the stadium, but for major renovations to the club's academy and first-team training ground.

The £20million redevelopment of the academy has been the main focus in recent years, but with that set to be completed in early 2023, breaking ground on the stadium will be next up.

The plans are not for a whole new stadium, but instead a new main stand. The current main stand can house 5,200 supporters, while the new proposed stadium will be able to hold 13,500 fans. This will bring the stadium’s total capacity to roughly 34,000.

It won’t just be an increase in seats, however. The new stand will have a complete redesign, with a five-storey design and an all-glass front that calls back to the original Crystal Palace.

It will also see its corporate sections expanded significantly, and a restaurant and retail unit is also proposed to be built in. There will also be a new club shop, museum and cafe.

The gap in the corner between the Holmesdale Road Stand on the south end and the Arthur Wait Stand on the eastern side will also be filled in with 683 additional seats.

The pitch length will also be increased to make the stadium compliant with FIFA and UEFA regulations and make it eligible to host tournament football. This however will result in a loss of 1,170 seats in the Whitehorse Lane Stand on the north end.

And finally, they will be making improvements to the concourse and are removing the gantry to improve sight lines.

Work on the expansion is expected to begin very soon, with hopes of ground being broken before the end of 2022.

Stumbling blocks in expansion

While the expansion was announced in 2018, there have been issues over the past four years that have prevented work from getting started;

• COVID-19 put all plans on hold
• Sainsbury's has a store on part of the land that will be needed for the redevelopment
• Five council-owned houses and one privately-owned house takes up another part of the redevelopment. Residents will need adequate notice to relocate
• Expiration of the planning application means a new one will need to be submitted

For a full explanation of the difficulties the club has faced during the process, check out the article written earlier this year by Matt Woosnam from ‘The Athletic’ on the stadium’s progress.

How will the redevelopment improve the fan experience?

There are many new features being added to the new main stand that will improve the Crystal Palace fan experience.

These are improvements for every type of fan, as there is no one template for how you can enjoy your day out at the football.

For the casual fan

Take what has already been mentioned. There will be a restaurant and retail unit added, as well as a new club shop, museum and cafe.

These are features that are becoming more prevalent and seemingly important in any new stadium. Offering these services are offering more variety to the fans for ways in which they can watch and support the team.

Not every fan is the common loud and brash football fan. For families or fans with younger kids, a simplified, more engaging experience is needed. That’s where the features of a cafe and museum are proving the club is catering to all fans.

For the vocal fan

Selhurst Park is known for its fantastic atmosphere, with devoted Palace fans loudly supporting their team at every opportunity.

This atmosphere is set to be amplified, as the new stand will feature a roof that is designed to retain and enhance the crowd's energy.

Keeping the intensity of the Selhurst Park atmosphere will be an important part of the redevelopment, so it is great for the fans that they have factored in something that will only amplify their support.

For the five-star fan

And then there’s the expansion of the corporate section, for the bigger spenders. Hospitality experiences are a big draw, and while they do come at a premium price, it is a worthwhile price to pay.

With their new main stand, Palace will have a lot more corporate and hospitality spaces on offer, and will be providing an improved experience to what they had before.

There will be 2,500 premium hospitality seats being added in the main stand, and along with that will be between 16-28 boxes.

In short, the new Crystal Palace stadium Main Stand expansion will provide “a stadium the whole of South London can be proud of”, as the club Chairman Steve Parish once said.

Crystal Palace Hospitality Packages

Whether you are a Palace fan or not, attending an Eagles match is an absolute must for any football fan. It really can’t be overstated how great the atmosphere is at any one of their games.

The club offers fantastic hospitality packages, all of which will give you a rich experience while still being able to enjoy the action on the pitch.

Through Seat Unique, we can offer tickets for The 2010 Club and for the Executive Box Whitehorse Lane End.

What you get with both packages is a truly VIP experience, with complimentary drinks, a pre-match meal, and fantastic views of the pitch from comfortable padded seats. Other benefits are included but vary depending on the package.

Interested in the hospitality packages available at other clubs? Check out all the football hospitality and premium tickets we have available.