Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos' Man Utd project could act as vital turning point for UEFA for first time in decades – opinion

Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos’ symbolic venture at Old Trafford could become a real game-changer for Manchester United when it comes to UEFA in the future.

Ineos are currently holding their nerves over Manchester United’s mixed start to the 2026-27 Premier League campaign under Michael Carrick at Old Trafford.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s regime threw their backing behind Michael Carrick as the permanent United manager after the Red Devils sacked Ruben Amorim last season.

Carrick is one ‘investment’ that Ineos have made, but another major investment for Ratcliffe’s team has been the complete overhaul of the Theatre of Dreams.

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UEFA’s backing of Barcelona’s Camp Nou for the 2029 Champions League final is important for Ineos’ Old Trafford plans

Sir Jim Ratcliffe had advocated for a symbolic ‘Wembley of the North’ stadium after the 73-year-old British billionaire became co-owner of Manchester United in 2024. United have unveiled plans to construct a brand-new state-of-the-art 100,000-seat stadium in a bid to move the Red Devils on from Old Trafford.

Old Trafford has an incredible history behind it, including hosting the 2003 Champions League final between AC Milan and Juventus. However, the Red Devils’ iconic stadium is the one and only club stadium outside of Wembley to have hosted a Champions League final in England.

Barcelona’s Camp Nou, on the other hand, has been UEFA’s pick for two Champions League finals, including hosting United’s famous 2-1 win over Bayern Munich in the treble-winning 1998-99 season. However, Barcelona’s official website reported on Tuesday that UEFA’s executive committee had picked the Camp Nou to host the Champions League final in 2029.

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United’s new stadium, which is designed by Foster + Partners, would be the second-largest football venue after the Camp Nou by the time the doors are expected to be opened by the 2030-31 season. There are still some hurdles for Ineos and Ratcliffe to progress through for the new stadium after United figures attended a final consultation event earlier this week.

The £2bn successor to Old Trafford has already attracted interest from other major organisations like FIFA, which could use the venue alongside Wembley to help stage the 2035 Women’s World Cup. If the Women’s World Cup could be one event that could be hosted at the new Ineos-spearheaded stadium, then the Champions League final can be as well.

It has been well over two decades since United hosted the Champions League final and the Football Association (FA) has opted to use Wembley as its key stadium of choice for its bids. However, the FA would struggle to overlook what United’s new stadium could offer — when it is functional — due to its advancements.

According to BBC Sport in 2025, UEFA has ‘stringent rules’ on the facilities for stadiums looking to host the Champions League final, including the pitch and dressing-room sizes, CCTV coverage and level of floodlighting. Considering the infrastructure problems that have plagued Old Trafford, including the infamous ‘leaking roof,’ the Red Devils’ new stadium would catapult United back to the forefront of the queue for a desirable venue.