1. OVERVIEW
The initiation and feasibility stages of a stadium development project relate to the initial phases of work.
Before embarking on the detailed design of the stadium, a number of key decisions need to be made.
Firstly, a stadium vision needs to be developed. This should set out the aims and ambitions for the project and should continue to inform the decisionmaking at key stages of the project journey.
Next, a potential site needs to be selected, which should consider several factors including availability and ownership, accessibility and logistics, local impact and the surrounding area, as well as security issues.
Climate change is the biggest single issue facing our society, and FIFA would like to see any future stadium project evaluate its potential impact in this context, as well as the need to incorporate mitigation measures against climate change.
The project will then need to develop its planning on a range of levels.
• a. The masterplan
The masterplan considers the stadium in its wider context: geographically, economically as well as socially.
• b. The project plan
The project plan formally sets out the outline plan for the whole of the stadium project.
• c. The feasibility study
The feasibility study addresses whether the project is viable from both a technical and financial standpoint, including the identification of any conditions or risks.
• d. A business plan
A business plan is required to address the stadium’s longer-term strategy and financial health.
Whilst the main focus of these guidelines is on developing stadiums for football use, in some cases, the incorporation of other uses is beneficial to both the viability and sustainability of the project. Therefore, an assessment of multi-use opportunities, in both the seating bowl as well as the other internal spaces of the stadium, is provided.
Finally, any successful stadium project requires the creation of a suitable project team. This chapter closes by introducing the main principles to be taken into account.