Cash boost for Arsenal! Gunners line up lucrative Emirates Stadium deal as club plan for expansion and two years at Wembley

Arsenal are on the brink of a substantial revenue boost as they prepare to renegotiate their long-standing catering deal at the Emirates Stadium. The club’s current 20-year agreement with Delaware North - signed when Arsenal first moved into their new home in 2006 - is set to expire next summer, opening the door to a more flexible and profitable arrangement. The Gunners are reportedly in talks with multiple firms, as per The Sun, with the new deal expected to add at least £500,000 per game to matchday revenue, translating to over £10 million annually.

In the 2023-24 financial year, Arsenal posted record revenues of £616.6 million, of which £132 million came from matchday income, including ticket sales, hospitality, and in-stadium spending. With constant Champions League football and attendances consistently at capacity, the club now view the Emirates as a key driver of sustained commercial growth. The decision to restructure the food and beverage operations is part of a wider strategy led by Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE) to modernise the matchday experience and maximise earnings.

At the same time, the club is exploring long-term expansion possibilities that could see the Emirates’ capacity rise from its current 60,704 to as much as 70,000–80,000. Such plans, however, would come with a heavy price tag - potentially upwards of £500 million - and might require Arsenal to temporarily play home games at Wembley Stadium for up to two seasons.

The expiration of the Delaware North contract marks a turning point in Arsenal’s commercial operations, offering a rare opportunity to restructure a deal first signed under financial strain nearly two decades ago. When the Emirates opened in 2006, the Gunners had limited leverage due to stadium construction debts, which forced them into a lengthy agreement that soon became outdated as matchday spending habits evolved. A more modern, flexible partnership could allow Arsenal to integrate multiple hospitality brands, food vendors, and premium fan zones across the concourse and executive levels.

Financially, the timing is ideal. Arsenal’s return to Europe’s elite competitions has re-established their global profile, and consistent home sellouts have made the Emirates one of the Premier League’s most lucrative venues. The club’s ownership recognises the importance of converting that demand into long-term infrastructure growth - particularly as competitors like Manchester City, Tottenham, and Liverpool continue to expand or upgrade their own stadiums.

However, the proposed large-scale redevelopment would come with logistical and financial challenges. While the club’s vision of a 70,000–80,000-seater Emirates excites supporters, the associated costs could exceed half a billion pounds, making such an expansion potentially prohibitive in the short term. A more likely outcome, according to sources, is a reconfiguration of corporate boxes into open hospitality areas, which could boost capacity by up to 2,000 seats for a fraction of the cost - around £100 million.

The Emirates Stadium, which opened in July 2006, represented a bold leap for Arsenal’s ambition to compete financially with Europe’s elite clubs. Moving less than 500 yards from their beloved Highbury, the Gunners invested around £390 million into constructing the 60,000-seat venue, which instantly transformed their economic outlook. Matchday revenue skyrocketed from approximately £37 million at Highbury to over £90 million at the Emirates in its early years, though the project also ushered in a decade of financial restraint that limited player spending under Arsene Wenger.

Over time, Arsenal undertook a process of “Arsenalisation” to embed the club’s identity into the modern structure, installing legends’ statues, murals, and the famous Highbury clock. The Emirates now stands as one of the Premier League’s most recognisable stadiums, though fans have long called for improvements in atmosphere and amenities. Demand for tickets remains enormous, with over 100,000 supporters reportedly on the waiting list for season passes - one of the factors motivating KSE’s renewed interest in expansion.

Historically, Arsenal have even considered Wembley before. In the late 1990s, when Highbury’s expansion plans were blocked, the club formally bid to purchase Wembley Stadium to make it their permanent home - a proposal rejected by the Football Association. The Gunners later used Wembley temporarily for Champions League fixtures between 1998 and 2000, making it a familiar fallback option should renovation works force another relocation.

Arsenal are expected to finalise their new catering and hospitality deal before the 2026-27 season, setting up a significant financial uplift as soon as next year. Club executives are simultaneously continuing feasibility studies on the Emirates expansion, weighing the benefits of a modest reconfiguration versus a full-scale rebuild that could necessitate a temporary move to Wembley. Any major redevelopment would require planning approval and would likely begin no earlier than 2027.

In the immediate term, the focus remains on sustaining record-breaking commercial growth while ensuring supporters benefit from an enhanced matchday experience. A revamped hospitality model, increased concourse variety, and potential capacity gains could push annual matchday income past £140 million, closing the gap with the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham.