Arsenal have started installing rail seating in the Emirates Stadium ahead of the 2026/27 season, planning to introduce safe seating for almost 7,000 fans.
Arsenal Fixtures News reports that Arsenal have begun their work to install rail seating in the Clock End of the Emirates Stadium, with the first phase of work to introduce safe standing for approximately 6,850 fans.
The same source reports that the North Bank is scheduled to be included as the next stage of the work next season, adding that the overall stadium capacity will not change.
The attached picture (shown above) reveals that the club have started with the away end, which makes sense.
Away fans in England almost always stand throughout the match, so if your priority is safety, then the away end is the most logical place to start.
The home section of the Clock End lower tier is also almost always a standing area for fans, so that’s presumably where the rest of the first phase of rail seating will be installed.
Arsenal will also want to get rail seating installed in sections of the upper tier, when possible, as the current lack of a standing section in the upper tier has caused problems for cup fixtures with increased away allocations.
Many fans will remember when Manchester United were given a huge section of the lower tier for their FA Cup match at the Emirates, as Arsenal couldn’t safely house them higher up. As well as the logistical problems this created, it also significantly weakened the team’s home advantage.
Then, last season, Arsenal had to install temporary rail seating in the upper tier for the League Cup semi-final against Chelsea, to avoid the same scenario as against Manchester United.
The temporary solution worked, but it would surely be beneficial to have permanent rail seating rather than installing and removing rails for specific fixtures.
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