06/10/2026
๐จ ARSENAL LEGEND BACKS HUGE EMIRATES DECISION โ โWIN TWO OR THREE MORE TITLESโ
Martin Keown has backed Arsenalโs decision to shelve plans to expand the Emirates Stadium to around 80,000 seats.
The Gunners had been exploring a major increase from the Emiratesโ current capacity of 60,704, with the proposed redevelopment potentially requiring Arsenal to temporarily play home matches at Wembley.
However, the club are now expected to focus on smaller improvements to the Emirates instead.
And Keown believes Arsenal should concentrate on achieving sustained success on the pitch before making such a huge change to their home.
โYou need to be winning two or three more Premier Leagues before you think about actually enlarging the stadium,โ the former Arsenal defender told talkSPORT.
Keown also raised concerns about what a major expansion could do to the atmosphere that has developed at the Emirates.
โBut to make it bigger, I think now it puts at risk the atmosphere, the special atmosphere, everything thatโs been built.โ
He also pointed to the huge demand for tickets, claiming there are 110,000 supporters waiting for season tickets, while admitting expanding the existing stadium would be difficult and expensive.
Arsenal ended their 22-year wait for a Premier League title last season, but Keown believes more success should come FIRST before the Emirates gets significantly bigger.
Arsenal forum