Capacity increased to 57,000 for West Ham United

 

West Ham United have had their safety certificate approved for an increased capacity of up to 57,000 for their first Premier League game.

The club had originally sought approval for a 60,000 capacity at the London stadium for the Sky Live game against Bournemouth and are still hoping to achieve that in coming weeks, however, Newham Council has agreed an initial increase of 3,000 for this Sunday's match.

A Safety Advisory Group identified a problem with persistent standing in an all-seated stadium during the Europa League qualifier against NK Domzale

Vice Chairman Baroness Brady CBE said: "As a Board we must follow the guidance as set out by the London stadium Safety Advisory Group to ensure more supporters are able to attend matches at our stunning new home.

"While an increased capacity of 57,000 is naturally a significant step forward for all concerned, we absolutely aim to operate at the full 60,000 capacity in the very near future.

The increased capacity means only Old Trafford (75,635) and the Emirates (60,432) can host larger crowds in the Premier League.

SB