Anfield Upper Tier Closure Delays Liverpool-Everton Match

 Anfield Upper Tier Closure Delays Liverpool-Everton Match

Anthony Gordon (R) of Everton and James Milner during the Premier League match between Everton FC and Liverpool FC at Goodison Park on September 03, 2022 in Liverpool, England.(Image-Getty)

Liverpool Football Club has announced that the new upper tier in the Anfield Road stand will continue to remain closed until the conclusion of the current year. This decision, disclosed on a Thursday, is due to further setbacks in the ongoing expansion project, resulting in the cancellation of fans' tickets for the highly anticipated match against Everton scheduled for October 21.

The upper tier was originally anticipated to be ready for the 2023-24 season, with the expectation of increasing Anfield's overall capacity by an impressive 7,000 seats, thereby exceeding a total of 61,000. However, the expansion project faced delays, coupled with a change in the contracted construction firm, resulting in a reduced capacity, estimated to be approximately 51,000.

Liverpool's Chief Executive Officer, Billy Hogan, expressed, "We're going to have to maintain the status quo for the remainder of the calendar year, essentially meaning capacity at Anfield will remain the same as for the previous home games that we've seen this season." This means that the match against Everton, a local derby eagerly anticipated by fans, will not see the upper tier open as initially planned.

Hogan further addressed this issue, stating, "Ultimately we won't be in a position to be able to provide seats for those fans who have purchased those tickets in the upper tier." He assured that the club's management has identified the affected supporters, and they will be contacted directly in the upcoming week to address the ticket cancellation and offer suitable alternatives or refunds.

This development underscores the challenges faced in large-scale stadium expansion projects and highlights the club's commitment to ensuring the safety and satisfaction of its loyal fan base.