Everton's New Hill Dickinson Stadium Designed to Blend History and Future

Architect Dan Meis shares insights on creating a stadium that reflects the club and city's identity.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 8:04am

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Dan Meis, the architect behind Everton's new Hill Dickinson Stadium, initially had doubts about designing a stadium for a UK club from his Los Angeles firm. However, after immersing himself in the history and culture of Everton and the city of Liverpool, Meis developed a vision for a stadium that would feel deeply connected to its Bramley-Moore Dock location and the club's passionate fanbase.

Why it matters

The new 52,000-seat stadium represents a major investment and evolution for Everton, as they seek to upgrade from their historic but aging Goodison Park home. The design process highlights the importance of balancing a club's storied traditions with a forward-looking, revenue-generating vision that resonates with supporters.

The details

Meis communicated closely with Everton fans during the design process, learning about their deep passion for the club and desire for the new stadium to capture the football-first energy of Goodison Park. One key debate was around capacity, with some fans insisting the new ground have at least one more seat than rivals Liverpool's Anfield. Ultimately, the 52,000-seat design aimed to maximize revenue while keeping fans right on top of the action.

  • Everton announced plans for the new stadium in 2023.
  • Construction on the Hill Dickinson Stadium began in 2024.
  • The stadium is scheduled to open for the 2026-27 Premier League season.

The players

Dan Meis

The architect who designed Everton's new Hill Dickinson Stadium. Meis is based in Los Angeles but immersed himself in the history and culture of Everton and Liverpool to create a stadium that would resonate with the club's passionate fanbase.

Bill Kenwright

Everton's chairman, who challenged Meis to design a stadium that was both historical and forward-looking.

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What they’re saying

“I learned pretty early through fan engagements how passionate they were about this. It was not always super friendly.”

— Dan Meis, Architect

“Bill Kenwright said he wanted something that was both historical and forward looking - that was a bit of a challenge.”

— Dan Meis, Architect

“I really believed in this idea that the stadium should feel like it grew out of the dock. I did one little sketch that was based on the idea of the Mersey washing over the dock.”

— Dan Meis, Architect

What’s next

The Hill Dickinson Stadium is scheduled to open for the 2026-27 Premier League season, replacing Everton's historic but aging Goodison Park home.

The takeaway

Everton's new stadium design process highlights the challenge of balancing a club's storied traditions with a forward-looking, revenue-generating vision that resonates with passionate supporters. Architect Dan Meis' approach of deeply immersing himself in the club and city's history, while also engaging directly with fans, helped create a stadium design that aims to feel authentically connected to its Bramley-Moore Dock location.