Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB) has announced that it will serve as the project manager for the Rugby Football Union (RFU)’s planned redevelopment of Allianz Stadium.
A ‘Stadium Masterplan Project’ has been established to support the RFU with a vision and multi-year plan that will assess how Allianz Stadium, formerly known as Twickenham, can maintain its status as a leading sports and entertainment venue.
The full consultant team, listed on the RLB website, also includes Populous as architect and lead designer, and Griffiths Evans as the building services engineer.
In October last year, the RFU launched a public consultation as it has sought to generate more revenue streams for Allianz Stadium, with plans for up to 15 non-sporting events per year.
The announcement came after reports emerged earlier in the year that the RFU would be pursuing a major redevelopment of Allianz Stadium after opting against approaching the Football Association about sharing Wembley. Work on the Allianz Stadium could begin after the 2027 Six Nations and the stadium would reportedly see its capacity drop from 82,500 to a minimum of 80,000.
This week, the RFU will hold three events to share its vision for Allianz Stadium with the public. In a post on its dedicated website – ourstadiumconsultation.co.uk – the RFU stressed that it is too early to share any images of what a redeveloped stadium might look like.
In a document outlining its vision for Allianz Stadium that was released this month, the RFU confirmed that it is working with “one of the best architectural practices in the industry”, as well as major concert promoters and organisers to develop designs that can ensure Allianz Stadium remains a “globally renowned” venue.
The RFU is hoping to submit planning and licensing applications in May or June of this year, with a decision on these applications expected by September. A period of consultation on the masterplan would then begin.
The current limit for concerts at Allianz Stadium is three per year, two of which must be on a Saturday. The RFU is exploring the potential of hosting more non-sporting events at the stadium, including concerts that can attract the “world’s biggest artists”.
Allianz Stadium gigs are also restricted to a capacity of 55,000 – compared to 82,000 for rugby matches – and no single act can play across three consecutive days. The RFU has estimated that the concert limit needs to be increased to 15 per year to deliver what it feels is the required revenue.
The RFU is seeking to increase the capacity for concerts to 75,000, depending on the event. The governing body’s plans include a proposal to gradually increase the number of concerts to nine in 2026, 12 in 2027 and 15 per year from 2028.
The RFU announced in August that German insurance provider Allianz had acquired naming rights to Twickenham. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but the deal is reportedly worth around £100m (€119m/$130m) over 10 years.
