Albion to relocate away fans in £40m stadium upgrade

The Terrace, a new fan zone outside the stadium, will have space for up to 1,000 people inside and a further 2,000 outside

Brighton and Hove Albion is to relocate away fans as part of a £40m development of its stadium.

The club will also increase capacity by 800, with a new tier for home fans, bringing total capacity up to 32,500.

It will build a new fan zone, called The Terrace, outside the American Express Stadium.

Deputy chairman and chief executive Paul Barber called the plans "a brilliant addition to the matchday experience".

A new hospitality areas will be added to the north stand, which will boost capacity by 800 to 32,500

The developments will be the biggest overhaul since the venue was built in 2011.

The Terrace, with space for up to 1,000 fans inside and 2,000 outside is due to open this spring.

The club shop will be expanded over two levels, and introduce new signage and branding as part of what the club calls an "Albionisation" of the site.

Albion plan to move the museum, currently inside the stadium, to a city centre location in 2026/2027.

The new tier for home fans will open for the 2026/2027 season and away fans will be moved to the south-west corner of the stadium in 2027.

Russ Wood, the club's head of commercial, said it had been planning to move away fans for a number of years

Russ Wood, the club's head of commercial, said moving away fans is something it had been planning for years.

"The players have commented, 'do I really want to take a penalty in front of the away fans?' and managers present and past have said it's not ideal," Mr Wood explained.

"The aim will be to compete as high as we can for as many years as we can," he said.

The club shop will be expanded across two levels, into the space that previously housed Dick's Bar and the museum

Following the Arsenal match on 4 January, the club store and Dick's Bar will close for redevelopment.

A new Dick's Bar on the north concourse will be renamed, with the north concourse due to be refurbished in the summer.

A temporary club store will open in Bennett's Field from 15 January.

Away supporters will eventually be moved into the space currently occupied by the Heineken Lounge.

The club said this will create a new home fans area directly behind the goal at the south stand end of the stadium.

An additional safe standing area will be subject to fan demand, the club added.

The club say they will notify any season-ticket holders affected by the changes.