City Ground green light and the finances behind Nottingham Forest’s Premier League footprint

Rushcliffe Borough Council have approved Nottingham Forest’s City Ground revamp, a step towards a larger, modern home to help entrench a Premier League footprint.

According to Nottingham Post, capacity would rise from 31,000 to 45,000 by extending the Peter Taylor Stand and filling the Trent End corners, with outline consent to reach 52,500 by enlarging the Brian Clough Stand.

In September 2024, owner Evangelos Marinakis set a near 50,000-seat City Ground as his prime target, citing a huge waiting list and the project’s importance to Nottingham.

Financially, growth matters under Squad Cost Ratio rules, and ticketing is the lever clubs control. Forest average £31 per fan per match, against London clubs on £80-90, with Manchester United around £75 and Liverpool £70.

The build is estimated at £550-790 million. If the average rose to £50 per fan, with 22 home dates and 20,000 extra seats, that might add about £22 million a year, implying payback beyond 30 years. An interest-free loan would help, and infrastructure spend is excluded from cost controls.

Head coach Oliver Glasner cast the plans as living ambition, noting other clubs’ upgrades and the need for comfort and hospitality. He said affordable tickets can sit alongside premium options if the balance is right.

Better facilities could open up non-matchday use, even if London’s pull and Spurs’ 30-40 event licence are hard to mirror. Longer term, stability in the Premier League and a route back to Europe would protect TV income, roughly £110-120 million versus £12-15m in the Championship.

Source: Nottingham Post

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”