Newcastle United confirm major new stadium development

Newcastle United will press ahead with plans to create a fan zone at St James' Park – with the help of the club's new front-of-shirt sponsor.

The club today confirmed a new sponsorship deal with Sela, a Saudi Arabian events company. The partnership is understood to be worth upwards of £25million a season to the club, which will be in the Champions League next season.

And Darren Eales, United's chief executive officer, revealed that Public Investment Fund-backed Sela would work with the club to create a fan zone on land at Strawberry Place, which has been bought back from developers.

The area behind the Gallowgate End, which was formerly a car park, has been fenced off for some time.

Eales said: "Fan engagement is central to what we do at Newcastle United, and, in Sela, we're partnering with an organisation with shared interests that has delivered incredible events and experiences to millions of people over many years.

"Closer to home, we will work closely on the design and operation of a new fan zone area at St James' Park, taking inspiration from Sela's incredible properties elsewhere."

Stadium expansion

Newcastle's hierarchy also hope to expand St James' Park after agreeing to buy back land at Strawberry Place, which was controversially sold to developers by then-owner Mike Ashley in 2019.

Speaking last year, Eales said: “It’s one of the areas we’re looking at. It’s a champagne problem, because we’re sold out – and it’s not a situation like the past where you’re almost giving away season tickets to fill the stadium."

"The reality is, we are in a situation where we’re limited in capacity. We’ll obviously be looking at if there are ways we can flex that. That’s one of the things we will be looking at over time.”