Manchester United is back in the Champions League after a three-year absence. And that means the club has to do something it probably hasn’t thought about in a while: make sure the stadium meets UEFA’s latest requirements.
The Red Devils finished third in the Premier League last season under Michael Carrick, a massive rebound after finishing 15th in 2024-25 and missing out on European football entirely. But getting back to the big stage comes with a to-do list that goes beyond signing midfielders.
UEFA’s Bench Rule Is the Problem Here
Back in 2025, UEFA passed a regulation that requires Champions League stadiums to have team benches that seat at least 20 people. The benches also have to be placed on either side of the halfway line, parallel to the touchline, and at least four meters from the field.
United’s current dugout only holds 16. So that won’t cut it when the Champions League anthem plays at Old Trafford in September.
Work started yesterday morning on expanding both the home and away dugouts. The new design has 21 seats total — eight in the back row, seven in the middle, six up front. The project is expected to take several weeks.
This is about as unglamorous as stadium renovation gets. No new concourses, no luxury suites, no retractable roof. Just more bench space so substitutes and coaches aren’t crammed in like sardines for a UCL match.
Other Offseason Prep Work Is Underway Too
United already replaced the turf at Old Trafford this summer, which is standard maintenance for any club heading into a busy season. And last month the club announced it had bought the land needed to move forward with plans for a new stadium entirely.
But the dugout expansion feels oddly symbolic. United spent years trying to claw their way back into the Champions League. Now they’re literally rearranging the furniture to be ready for it.
The club’s website confirmed the timeline and the scope of the work. There’s no word yet on when exactly the new benches will be ready, but the goal is clearly to have everything in place before the group stage kicks off.
On the pitch, United still has work to do. They’ve already missed out on midfield targets Elliot Anderson, Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali, all of whom landed at Premier League rivals instead. But off the field, at least the benches will be up to code.
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