John Sisk & Son, the renowned Irish construction company, has embarked on a significant development project at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium. The ambitious expansion will feature a range of integrated, all-weather facilities, headlined by an enlarged North Stand. This upgrade will increase the stadium’s capacity to over 60,000 spectators, making it a premier destination for football fans.
The centrepiece of the development is the expanded North Stand, which will feature a single, larger upper tier above the existing lower tier. Enhancing the fan experience, the upper tier will include a sky bar offering panoramic views of the pitch, as well as a unique stadium roof walk experience.
In addition to the North Stand, the project will introduce a covered City Square fan zone with a capacity for 3,000 people. This area will house a variety of food and drink outlets, a new club shop, a museum, and a workspace. A 400-bed hotel is also part of the comprehensive development plan, further elevating the stadium’s status as a year-round entertainment and leisure destination.
Construction began in November 2023, with the North Stand expected to be completed and operational for the 2025/26 football season. The hotel, workspace, and public realm works, including the City Square fan zone, are slated for completion by late 2026.
Throughout the construction phase, Sisk anticipates that the project will support over 890 full-time equivalent roles, providing significant employment opportunities.
Sisk, a family-owned business established in 1859, has a proven track record in delivering large-scale sporting and entertainment venues. The company has successfully completed numerous high-profile projects, including works at Wembley Park for long-term client Quintain, and the redevelopments of Aviva Stadium, Croke Park, and Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
Paul Brown, CEO of Sisk, expressed his enthusiasm for the project: “We are delighted to be working on such an iconic venue and look forward to creating a best-in-class fan experience and year-round entertainment and leisure destination at the Etihad Stadium. Our experience and expertise in delivering large, complex engineering infrastructure in public spaces will be crucial to this project’s success. Key Irish senior directors who led previous stadia projects will now offer invaluable support to our team in Manchester.”
Danny Wilson, Managing Director of Manchester City Operations, echoed Brown’s sentiments: “Sisk has significant experience and expertise in developing and delivering construction projects of this scale, and we are delighted to be working with them. This development will not only enable the Club to enhance and expand its offering to fans and visitors on both matchday and non-matchday, but it will also create lasting long-term economic and social benefits for our local community, building on the investment we have delivered in East Manchester since 2008.”
