Belgian Pro League club Royal Antwerp has applied to construct a temporary stand at the Bosuilstadion as it looks to accommodate more supporters.
The stand would replace the T2 stand, which has been dilapidated for several seasons. Antwerp said the temporary structure would eliminate the waiting list of fans wishing to attend matches at the Bosuilstadion, which has a capacity of over 16,000 when fully operational.
The new stand would have a capacity of at least 5,000 and could be operational by the start of the 2025-26 season.
Antwerp is currently second in the Pro League. The club won the league in 2022-23 to secure qualification for last season’s Champions League, but it did not progress past the group stage despite a famous 3-2 win over Barcelona.
The Bosuilstadion’s capacity was restricted during the club’s Champions League campaign, with Uefa ruling that the T2 stand, which is opposite the main stand, was unsafe for fans.
Back in 2018, Antwerp announced plans to renovate the Bosuilstadion and increase its capacity to 23,000 by rebuilding three of the stands, making the ground fully enclosed.
Development work at the stadium has not progressed due to disagreements between Antwerp owner Paul Gheysens and Tania Mintjens, who owns the stadium land.
Belgian broadcaster VRT notes that Gheysens has previously refused to build a new stand on the current T2 structure due to the fact that it is owned by Mintjens. Antwerp has building rights until 2052, but any new stand could eventually fall under the ownership of Mintjens.
It is hoped a temporary stand will offer a short-term solution to Antwerp’s stadium problems.
