ED provides an update on the expansion of the Philips Stadium

In March of this year, PSV presented the first plans for the expansion of the Philips Stadium. The intention is that by 2030 the stadium's capacity will be at least 52,000 spectators and that the first renovations will begin in the next calendar year.

For that, PSV will have to receive a 'go' or 'no go' decision before the end of the year, general director Marcel Brands said Monday evening on the program Rondo on Ziggo Sport. ''If everything works out, it should take two to two and a half years for it to be fully ready. The schedule is for a go or no go decision to come by the end of the year. If that go is given, we want to start immediately after the season. That is a very big wish'', Brands emphasized.

The costs must be between 350 and 400 million euros. ''That gives you a stomachache. We are working hard on the question of how we can finance it. This must not come at the expense of the football budget. That must keep growing'', the managing director said.

Now the Eindhovens Dagblad has released the news that there is still a great deal of optimism about the plans to expand the stadium. ''Optimistic sounds are still coming through that this can be achieved with external funds from multiple financiers, but something has changed in the past period. If the permit-granting process should take longer than expected, the situation may have to be looked at again,'' the ED writes.

Inflation also plays a major role here, as the local newspaper reports. “Among other things, inflation in the prices of building materials and possibly higher (interest) costs are always uncertain factors in situations like this, which means costs can end up higher,” the ED said.

Since the founding of PSV on 31 August 1913, the club has played its home matches at the place where it all began. Over the years, the Philips Stadium, previously known as the Philips Sportpark, has been extensively renovated, the last time in 2002 when the corners of the stadium were enclosed.

Also within the stadium, after 2002, a number of renovations took place that were not on a large scale. For example, the fences along the pitch were removed in the summer of 2005, in the summer of 2016 the dugouts were placed between the spectators, and in that same year the east stand was converted into an all-standing area with so-called safe standing seats that can be unfolded to sit and folded in to stand.