Old Trafford facts for kids
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"The Theatre of Dreams"
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| Location | Sir Matt Busby Way Old Trafford Trafford Greater Manchester England |
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| Public transit |  Wharfside Old Trafford |
| Owner | Manchester United |
| Operator | Manchester United |
| Capacity | 74,310 |
| Record attendance | 76,962 (Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Grimsby Town, 25 March 1939) |
| Field size | 105 by 68 metres (114.8 yd × 74.4 yd) |
| Surface | Desso GrassMaster |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1909 |
| Opened | 19 February 1910 |
| Renovated | 1941, 1946–1949, 1951, 1957, 1973, 1995–1996, 2000, 2006 |
| Construction cost | £90,000 (1909) |
| Architect | Archibald Leitch (1909) |
| Tenants | |
| Manchester United (1910–present) | |
Old Trafford is a famous football stadium in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, England. It is the proud home of the football club Manchester United.
With space for 74,310 fans, Old Trafford is the biggest club football stadium in the United Kingdom. It's also the second-largest football stadium overall, after Wembley Stadium. It's even the twelfth-largest stadium in all of Europe!
The legendary Bobby Charlton gave Old Trafford its special nickname: "The Theatre of Dreams." Manchester United has played here since 1910. However, during World War II, the stadium was badly damaged by bombs. From 1941 to 1949, the team had to share Maine Road with their rivals, Manchester City.
Old Trafford has been expanded many times, especially in the 1990s and 2000s. New sections were added to the North, West, and East Stands. This brought the stadium almost back to its original size of 80,000 seats. There are plans to make it even bigger, possibly holding around 88,000 fans.
The most people ever to watch a game at Old Trafford was 76,962. This happened in 1939 during an FA Cup semi-final match. Old Trafford has also hosted big football events like the 1966 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 1996, and the 2012 Summer Olympics. It even hosted the 2003 UEFA Champions League Final.
Besides football, Old Trafford is sometimes used for rugby league. It has been the home of the Super League Grand Final every year since 1987. It has also hosted five Rugby League World Cup tournaments.
Contents
History of Old Trafford
Building the Stadium
Before 1902, Manchester United was called Newton Heath. They played their games at North Road and then Bank Street. These grounds were not very good, with muddy pitches and smoke from nearby factories.
In 1909, the club's new chairman, John Henry Davies, decided they needed a better home. He gave money to build a new stadium. Davies found a good spot next to the Bridgewater Canal in Old Trafford.
A Scottish architect named Archibald Leitch designed the stadium. He had designed many other stadiums too. The original plan was for 100,000 spectators. It would have covered seats in the south stand and open terraces for standing fans.
The stadium was supposed to cost £60,000. But the costs went up, so the capacity was reduced to about 80,000. Even so, it was a very expensive project for its time.
The stadium officially opened on 19 February 1910. Manchester United played their first game there against Liverpool. Sadly, United lost 4–3. A journalist at the time called the stadium "the most remarkable arena I have ever seen."
Before Wembley Stadium was built in 1923, Old Trafford hosted two FA Cup Finals. The first was a replay in 1911 between Bradford City and Newcastle United. Bradford won 1–0 in front of 58,000 people.
The second FA Cup Final was in 1915 between Sheffield United and Chelsea. Sheffield United won 3–0. Most of the nearly 50,000 fans were soldiers, so it was called "the Khaki Cup Final."
Old Trafford also hosted its first international football match in 1926. England played against Scotland and lost 1–0. The largest crowd for a Manchester United league game before World War II was 70,504 in 1920.
Wartime Damage and Rebuilding
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In 1936, a roof was added to the United Road stand (now the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand). More roofs were added to the south corners in 1938.
During World War II, Old Trafford was used by the military. A German bombing raid in December 1940 damaged the stadium. Another raid in March 1941 destroyed much of it, especially the main stand.
Because of the damage, Manchester United had to play their home games at Maine Road. This was the stadium of their rivals, Manchester City. The club received some money to rebuild, but they were still in debt.
Old Trafford reopened in 1949, but it didn't have a roof yet. It had been almost 10 years since a league game was played there. United's first game back was on 24 August 1949. They beat Bolton Wanderers 3–0 in front of 41,748 fans.
Modernizing the Stadium
By 1951, a roof was put back on the Main Stand. Soon after, the other three stands were also covered. The Stretford End (now the West Stand) got its roof in 1959.
The club also spent £40,000 on new floodlighting. This meant they could play European games in the evening at Old Trafford. The first match under floodlights was on 25 March 1957.
However, pillars supporting the roofs still blocked views for some fans. For the 1966 FIFA World Cup, the United Road (north) stand was completely redesigned. In 1965, the old pillars were replaced with modern cantilever roofs. These roofs hang over the stands without pillars, giving everyone a clear view.
The new North Stand could hold 20,000 spectators. It also had the first private boxes at a British football ground. The East Stand was updated in the same way in 1973. The club planned to do this for all stands, making the stadium like a bowl. This would help keep the crowd's noise inside and make the atmosphere even better.
In the 1970s, there were problems with football hooliganism. After an incident in 1971, the club put up the country's first fence around the pitch. This stopped fans from getting onto the field.
Becoming All-Seater
Over the years, the stadium's capacity slowly went down. By the 1980s, it held about 60,000 fans. In 1990, the Taylor Report said that all top football stadiums in England must have only seats, no standing areas.
This meant that Old Trafford had to remove its standing terraces. This big change cost about £10 million and reduced the stadium's capacity to around 44,000 seats.
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Manchester United's success in the early 1990s meant they needed more seats. In 1995, the old North Stand was taken down. A new, three-tiered stand was built in its place, ready for UEFA Euro 1996. This new stand cost £18.65 million and added about 25,500 seats. The stadium's total capacity went up to over 55,000. Its cantilever roof was the largest in Europe.
More success led to more changes. A second tier was added to the East Stand in 2000. This temporarily increased capacity to about 61,000. Then, the West Stand also got a second tier, adding 7,000 more seats. This brought the capacity to 68,217. Old Trafford was now the biggest club stadium in the UK.
In 2003, Old Trafford hosted its first big European final, the 2003 UEFA Champions League Final. Milan played against Juventus.
From 2001 to 2007, the England national football team played many of its home games at Old Trafford. This was because the old Wembley Stadium had been demolished. Old Trafford hosted 14 of England's 34 home matches during this time.
Recent Expansions
The most recent expansion at Old Trafford happened between 2005 and 2006. About 8,000 seats were added by building second tiers in the north-west and north-east corners of the stadium.
On 26 March 2006, a crowd of 69,070 set a new Premier League record. The record was broken again on 31 March 2007, when 76,098 fans watched United beat Blackburn Rovers 4–1. This meant almost every seat was full!
In 2009, the seating was slightly changed, reducing the capacity to 75,957.
Old Trafford celebrated its 100th birthday on 19 February 2010. The club held many events, including an art competition for local students and an exhibition at the club museum. At a match against Fulham, fans received a copy of the program from the first Old Trafford game. Relatives of the first players and the stadium's architect even buried a time capsule!
Old Trafford was also a venue for the football competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics. It hosted several men's and women's matches, including a famous semi-final in the women's tournament.
On 27 March 2021, the Manchester United women's team played their first game at Old Trafford. They played against West Ham United. A year later, in March 2022, the women's team played Everton in front of 20,241 fans. This was their highest home attendance ever!
On 6 July 2022, Old Trafford hosted the opening match of UEFA Women's Euro 2022. England played Austria in front of 68,871 fans. This was a record attendance for the Women's European Championships.
Stadium Design
Old Trafford has four main stands, each with a roof and only seats. They are called the Sir Alex Ferguson (North), East, Sir Bobby Charlton (South), and West Stands. Each stand has at least two levels, except for the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand, which has one. The lower part of each stand used to be for standing fans but was changed to seats in the 1990s.
Sir Alex Ferguson Stand
The Sir Alex Ferguson Stand used to be called the United Road stand or the North Stand. It is the tallest stand, with three levels, and can hold about 26,000 fans. It also has special executive boxes and hospitality areas.
This stand was rebuilt in 1996. It is home to many popular facilities, like the Red Café (a Manchester United themed restaurant) and the Manchester United museum and trophy room. The museum first opened in 1986. It moved to the North Stand in 1998 and was opened by the famous footballer Pelé.
On 5 November 2011, the North Stand was renamed the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand. This was to honor Alex Ferguson for being the club's manager for 25 years. A 9-foot statue of Sir Alex Ferguson was also put outside the stand in 2012.
Sir Bobby Charlton Stand
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Across from the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand is the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand. This used to be the main stand. Even though it has only one level, it contains most of the stadium's executive suites and hosts important guests.
Journalists sit in the middle of the upper part of this stand to get the best view. The television cameras are also here, so this stand is shown least often on TV. The club's TV channel, MUTV, has a studio here, as do other TV channels like the BBC and Sky.
The team dugouts are in the middle of the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand. They are raised so the managers and coaches can see the game clearly. The old players' tunnel, which was used until 1993, is also here. This old tunnel is the only part of the original 1910 stadium that survived the bombing in World War II.
On 6 February 2008, the tunnel was renamed the Munich Tunnel. This was to remember the 50th anniversary of the 1958 Munich air disaster. The new tunnel is in the South-West corner of the stadium.
On 3 April 2016, the South Stand was renamed the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand. This honored Sir Bobby Charlton, a former Manchester United player, 60 years after his first game for the club.
West Stand
The West Stand is also known as the Stretford End. This stand is famous for being where the most passionate Manchester United fans sit. They are known for making the most noise!
The Stretford End was originally designed for 20,000 standing fans. It was the last stand to be covered and the last to have only standing areas. In the early 1990s, it was rebuilt with only seats.
When a second level was added to the Stretford End in 2000, many fans moved there. They often hang banners and flags from the front of the upper level. The famous player Denis Law was even nicknamed "King of the Stretford End." There is now a statue of him on the concourse of the stand's upper level.
East Stand
The East Stand was the second stand to get a cantilever roof, after the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand. It's sometimes called the Scoreboard End because the scoreboard used to be there.
The East Stand can hold almost 12,000 fans. It's where the sections for disabled fans and away fans are located. The disabled section has space for up to 170 fans, with free seats for their helpers.
The East Stand has a tinted glass front. Behind it are the club's offices, where staff for the official Manchester United magazine and website work. Pictures and advertisements are often displayed on the front of the East Stand. In February 2008, a tribute to the Busby Babes was shown to mark 50 years since the Munich air disaster.
Above the megastore is a statue of Sir Matt Busby. He was Manchester United's manager for a very long time. There is also a plaque for the victims of the Munich air disaster on the south end of the East Stand. The Munich Clock is where the East and South Stands meet.
On 29 May 2008, a statue called "The United Trinity" was unveiled. It shows the club's three famous players: George Best, Denis Law, and Bobby Charlton. It's located across Sir Matt Busby Way from the East Stand.
The Manchester United club shop, or "megastore," has been in six different places. It's now a large store on the ground floor of the East Stand. It opened in 2000 and covers 17,000 square feet.
Pitch and Surroundings
The football pitch at Old Trafford is about 105 meters (115 yards) long and 68 meters (74 yards) wide. The middle of the pitch is slightly higher than the edges, which helps water drain away.
Like many modern stadiums, Old Trafford has an underground heating system. It uses 23 miles (37 kilometers) of plastic pipes to keep the pitch from freezing. Former manager Alex Ferguson often asked for the pitch to be relaid, which cost about £250,000 each time. The grass is watered regularly and mowed often.
In 2009, a 10-meter (33-foot) tall clock tower was put in Car Park E1. It's shaped like the Hublot logo and has four large clock faces.
On the east side of the stadium is Hotel Football. This football-themed hotel and fan clubhouse was created by former Manchester United captain Gary Neville. It opened in 2015 and can host up to 1,500 supporters.
Future Plans
There are plans to make Old Trafford even bigger. The next step is to redevelop the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand, which currently has only one level. If it were expanded like the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand, the stadium could hold around 95,000 fans. This would make it bigger than Wembley Stadium!
This expansion would cost about £100 million. This is because a railway line runs next to the stadium, and building over it would be complex. However, Manchester United's property manager has confirmed that expansion plans are being considered.
In March 2016, talks about redeveloping the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand came up again. The club plans to invest £11 million to improve accessibility for disabled fans. This will add 118 new wheelchair spots and 158 new amenity seats. This might slightly reduce the overall capacity by about 3,000 seats.
To make up for this, other expansion ideas are being looked at. Adding a second level to the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand could increase capacity to around 80,000. If the corner stands were also expanded, the capacity could reach 88,000.
In 2018, it was reported that these plans were on hold. This is because the work would be very big and complex. The club's managing director, Richard Arnold, said it might mean Manchester United would have to leave Old Trafford during construction. Playing at rival stadiums like Manchester City's or Liverpool's is not really an option.
In 2021, co-chairman Joel Glazer said that "early-stage planning work" was happening for Old Trafford's redevelopment. This came after more and more people criticized the lack of updates since 2006. The club is even thinking about tearing down the current stadium and building a brand new one on the same site, but this is less likely. In 2024, it was reported that Sir Jim Ratcliffe, a shareholder, wants to demolish Old Trafford and build a "Wembley of the North" on the same site.
Other Uses of Old Trafford
Rugby League Matches
Old Trafford has hosted both types of rugby football: rugby league and rugby union. Rugby league games are played there more often. Old Trafford has hosted every Super League Grand Final since 1998.
The first rugby league match at Old Trafford was in November 1958. Salford played against Leeds under floodlights.
Old Trafford hosted its first rugby league international match in 1986. Australia beat Great Britain 38–16. The stadium also hosted the 1989 World Club Challenge.
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When the Rugby League World Cup was held in 2000, Old Trafford hosted the final. Australia won against New Zealand. Old Trafford also hosted the 2013 Rugby League World Cup final. Australia beat New Zealand 34–2 in front of 74,468 fans. This was a world record for a rugby league international match.
In 2019, Old Trafford was chosen to host the finals of the 2021 Rugby League World Cup. Both the men's and women's finals were played there on the same day.
Rugby Union Matches
The first rugby union match at Old Trafford was in 1924. A team from Lancashire played against the New Zealand national team.
Old Trafford hosted its first rugby union international in 1997. New Zealand defeated England 25–8. Another match was played in 2009, when England beat Argentina 37–15.
Old Trafford was supposed to host matches for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. However, Manchester United pulled out of the agreement. They were worried about the quality of the pitch and their relationship with rugby league.
Other Sports and Events
Before the football stadium was built, the area was used for games of shinty. This is a traditional Scottish game. During World War I, American soldiers used the stadium for baseball games.
In 1981, a cricket competition was held there. In October 1993, a big boxing match took place at the ground. About 42,000 people watched Chris Eubank fight Nigel Benn.
Old Trafford has also hosted many concerts. Famous artists like Bon Jovi, Genesis, and Bruce Springsteen have performed there. It is also used for private events like weddings and business meetings. The first wedding at the stadium was in 1996.
Records at Old Trafford
The highest number of people ever at Old Trafford was 76,962. This was for an FA Cup semi-final on 25 March 1939. At that time, the stadium had standing areas.
As an all-seater stadium, the record attendance is 76,098. This happened at a Premier League game between Manchester United and Blackburn Rovers on 31 March 2007.
The highest average attendance for a league season was 75,826 in the 2006–07 season. The most total fans in one season was 2,197,429 in 2008–09. That year, Manchester United won the Premier League and the League Cup.
Getting to Old Trafford
Manchester United Football Ground railway station is right next to the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand. This station is on the train line between Liverpool and Manchester. It used to only run on matchdays, but the service was stopped for safety reasons.
Old Trafford is also served by the Manchester Metrolink tram network. The closest tram stops are Wharfside, Old Trafford, and Exchange Quay. All three are less than a 10-minute walk from the stadium.
Many buses also go to Old Trafford. Buses 255 and 256 run from Manchester Piccadilly Gardens to Chester Road, near Sir Matt Busby Way. The 250 service stops right outside Old Trafford on Wharfside Way. There are also extra buses on matchdays.
The stadium has several car parks close by. Parking is free on non-matchdays.
Images for kids
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Old Trafford, "The Theatre of Dreams"
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Old Trafford's East Stand in 2011, showing how the stadium has changed over 100 years.
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Old Trafford in the 1920s.
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The central tunnel at Old Trafford (left) is the only surviving part of the original 1910 stadium after the stadium's bombing in World War II.
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The corner tunnel (right) is now used by players on matchday.
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The Stretford End before it was rebuilt in the early 1990s.
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Outside Old Trafford in 1992.
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The redeveloped East Stand was opened at the beginning of the 2000–01 season.
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Peter Oldfield-Edwards' model of Old Trafford in the club museum in 2010.
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Old Trafford during a match at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
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Old Trafford's tribute to the National Health Service during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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A plan of Old Trafford. The shaded area shows where away fans sit.
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The Sir Alex Ferguson Stand (North Stand) seen from the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand (South Stand).
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The wall of managers in the museum at Old Trafford.
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A statue of Sir Alex Ferguson was put up at Old Trafford on 23 November 2012.
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The Sir Bobby Charlton Stand (South Stand) seen from the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand (North Stand).
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The West Stand, with its mosaic of seats showing the stand's name.
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A plaque at Old Trafford honoring the victims of the Munich air disaster.
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The East Stand seen from the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand (North Stand).
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Manchester United's megastore is located on the East Stand of Old Trafford.
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The statue of Sir Matt Busby overlooking the East Stand forecourt.
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The United Trinity, a statue of Manchester United's three famous players: Best, Law, and Charlton.
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The Hublot clock tower in Old Trafford's car park E1.
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Leeds Rhinos celebrating their 2008 Super League Grand Final win over St Helens.
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The 2017 Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford.
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A graph of Manchester United's average attendances from 1949 to 2009.
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See also
In Spanish: Old Trafford para niños
