World Cup pressure points: What we can learn from US stadium upgrades

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has required extensive upgrades to stadiums across the US. While many of the venues are among the most advanced sports facilities in the world, not all were designed with soccer in mind.

As a result, stadium owners have had to make significant changes to layouts, playing surfaces, hospitality areas and operational infrastructure to meet FIFA requirements. The challenges they’ve faced offer useful lessons for all those considering maintenance and redevelopment projects of their own.

Whether you’re planning an expansion, modernisation programme, or complete rebuild, there are some clear takeaways from the US experience.

How do you keep a stadium running during construction?

One of the most difficult aspects of the US upgrades has been carrying out major construction work while maintaining existing sporting and commercial commitments. Host venues have continued to stage NFL games, concerts and other events while preparing for the World Cup.

Construction programmes for venues in the UK rarely have the luxury of uninterrupted access as works need to be planned around event schedules. This requires coordination between project teams and operational stakeholders and tight programme management.

The lesson: Operational planning should begin at the same time as design and construction planning.

Key considerations include:

• Programme phasing around sporting and event calendars – do the works need to be undertaken in the off-season, or can they be phased between events
• Access and logistics arrangements – what will be available and what is restricted
• Health and safety management during the works and during events
• Guest experience during construction
• Business continuity requirements

Addressing these issues at an early stage can help coordinate construction planning, reducing the risks of costly disruption and minimising delays.

How should clubs assess return on investment?

A key consideration for World Cup host venues has been balancing temporary tournament requirements with their longer-term function. Owners have had to decide which upgrades should be permanent and which should be temporary.

Ultimately, every redevelopment project needs to make commercial sense. For US stadium owners, the question has been whether the cost of World Cup-related upgrades can be justified through increased revenues, future event opportunities, and long-term operational improvements.

This is increasingly relevant in the UK where venues are expected to generate revenue throughout the year as a multi-use site, hosting ever more varied and oftentimes unique events ranging from concerts and various sports fixtures to corporate functions and community programmes.

To accommodate this, decision-makers need to evaluate whether:

• Incremental refurbishment is sufficient
• A major redevelopment programme offers better value
• A completely new venue could provide stronger long-term returns

Each option carries different levels of cost, risk and opportunity.

The lesson: Before proceeding with major works, you should assess whether this type of investment will best improve revenue generation, operational efficiency and the overall guest experience over the life of the asset.

In relation to redevelopment plans, these should be evaluated through a multi-use lens. Investments that improve flexibility can often be more valuable than those designed solely around single operations, but they may come with added costs or complexities in the future. When assessing proposals, it should be considered:

1. Whether upgrades can increase the range of events the venue can host.
2. What is the operational impact of catering for and switching between different uses.
3. Whether benefits will remain long after the initial investment has been made.

How to overcome existing constraints affecting redevelopment?

One of the biggest challenges for US venues has been adapting existing structures to accommodate FIFA’s requirements, particularly around pitch dimensions and run-off areas.

Even relatively new stadiums have required substantial modifications. In some cases, seating areas have been removed or reconfigured to create sufficient space for the field of play and supporting infrastructure.

Many venues will encounter similar constraints when redeveloping established grounds and structures. Challenges often include:

• Limited site footprints
• Nearby residential or commercial developments
• Transport infrastructure restrictions
• Listed buildings or heritage considerations
• Existing structural limitations

These factors go to the heart of viability and can oftentimes make upgrading an operational venue more complex than building from scratch.

The lesson: Understand the venue’s physical limitations as early as possible. Early feasibility studies and survey investigations help reduce redesign costs and manage programme risks.

Design cannot be undertaken in a vacuum and will be underpinned on known risks. Maximising information gathering from the outset in relation to the nature and status of the land, existing structures, and external factors, will help ensure feasible and practicable options are explored and put forward – reducing the delays of going “back to the drawing board”.

The importance of early planning

The 2026 FIFA World Cup highlights a simple reality: successful stadium redevelopment is about far more than technical compliance.

The most successful projects are underpinned by:

• Early strategic planning
• Realistic assessment of site constraints
• Operational flexibility
• Clear commercial objectives
• Robust delivery programmes

Bringing together legal, construction, technical, and operational expertise early in the process can help identify risks, manage stakeholder expectations and create long-term value.

Getting started with Stadium redevelopment

Stadium redevelopment is about far more than construction. As the 2026 World Cup experience shows, success depends on early planning, operational integration, and a clear commercial strategy.

With venues facing growing commercial pressures and evolving expectations from investors and attendees, the lessons emerging from the 2026 World Cup provide a useful reminder that some of the best redevelopment projects are those designed not only for today’s needs, but consider tomorrow’s opportunities as well.

For UK venue owners and developers, the key is to think dynamically and long term. Flexibility, being aware of your opportunities and limitations, and robust investment decisions will help ensure stadium assets remain competitive and commercially viable.

We work with clients across the full lifecycle of stadium and venue redevelopment projects – from procurement strategy and contract structuring through to delivery and risk management. If you’re planning a project or exploring your options please get in touch with our experts, we’d be happy to help.