Premier League is arguably the most-watched league in the world. A part of it is down to the broadcasting quality and the beautiful stadiums.
Premier League stadium requirements mean that no Premier League stadium can have a capacity of less than 5,000, with 2,000 seats at the very least.
Luton Town’s Kenilworth Stadium will be a new entrant in an esteemed list full of historical stadiums with huge capacities. But what about the smallest stadiums?
Here’s a look at the five smallest Premier League stadiums by capacity in the 2023/24 season-
Craven Cottage (Fulham)- 22,384
Marco Silva’s side came back into the Premier League with a bang in the Premier League which should lead to increased demand for seats.
Located on the iconic River Thames, it has been the home of Fulham since 1896, making it one of the oldest stadiums in the league.
The development of a new stand is underway with a project called “Riverside Development”.
It will increase the seating capacity as well as improve the amenities available for match-going supporters. It is expected to be completed in the 2023-24 season but will still keep Fulham in this position when it comes to the smallest Premier League stadiums.
Turf Moor (Burnley)- 21,994
The historic significance of Burnley’s stadium even beats out Craven Cottage. It has been Bunrley’s home since 1883, making it the second-longest continuously used ground in English professional football.
Since its construction, it has seen numerous improvements. The latest one to welcome fans in the 2023/24 season will be a redeveloped middle tier of the Jimmy McIlroy stand which would bring improved food and drinks ordering system on matchday.
Vincent Kompany’s tactics and managerial style gave the fans a memorable experience on the pitch last season. The redevelopment would look to replicate that experience in the stands in the Premier League.
Gtech Community Stadium (Brentford)- 18,250
From two stadiums standing since the 1800s to the one that opened in 2020. Brentford’s home ground is one of the most recent grounds in the Premier League alongside Tottenham’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
It was known as the Brentford Community Stadium before a naming rights deal changed it to Gtech Community Stadium.
This stadium replaced Griffin Park, the home of the Bees throughout their tenure in the lower leagues.
With Thomas Frank and his team punching above their weight in the Premier League, further expansion/redevelopments can be expected for the newly minted ground.
Vitality Stadium (Bournemouth)- 11,329
For the first time in Bournemouth’s Premier League history, their stadium won’t be the smallest in the league.
With a capacity of just over 11k, Vitality Stadium is smaller than even many sides’ grounds in League One and the Championship.
Now that Andoni Iraola has been installed as the manager, they would first look to secure their position in the Premier League.
Plans are already afoot to increase the stadium capacity to around 14,000 by filling in the corners and building a new, permanent stand.
However, the prospect of an entirely new stadium can’t be ruled out if Bournemouth become an established Premier League force.
Kenilworth Road (Luton Town)- 10,356
Premier League giants will have a reality check when they come to Luton Town’s home next season.
The ground is so small that the team will have to spend close to £10 million just to make it eligible for hosting Premier League games. It’s not because of a lack of capacity, but due to lacking broadcasting services and other boxes.
It has been Luton Town’s home since 1905 but one would presume that they would look to move to a new venue if they survive in the Premier League since the current one is limited by its expansion potential.
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