Walk through Stanley Park on a match day and you’ll feel it. The air literally vibrates. On one side, you have the looming red brick of Anfield, a place where history feels like it’s baked into the very mortar. On the other, just a short stroll across the grass, sits Goodison Park. It’s old. It’s tight. It’s glorious in a way that modern "bowl" stadiums just aren't. But things are shifting. We are currently witnessing the end of an era for Liverpool and Everton grounds, and if you aren't paying attention to the geography of Merseyside right now, you’re missing one of the biggest architectural and cultural shifts in football history.
It's weird, right? Most cities have their rivals miles apart. In Liverpool, they are basically neighbors sharing a backyard. You can see one from the other. This proximity has defined the "Friendly Derby" for a century. But as we move through 2026, the physical footprint of these two giants is diverging in a way that will permanently alter the city's skyline.
The Goodison Goodbye and the Bramley-Moore Revolution
Everton is leaving. It’s actually happening. For years, "The People's Club" talked about moves to King's Dock or Kirkby, but those fell through. Now, the move to Bramley-Moore Dock is the reality. Honestly, Goodison Park is a masterpiece of early 20th-century engineering by Archibald Leitch, but it's falling apart. You can’t fit modern hospitality into a wooden-seated stand built in the 1900s. The pillars obstruct views. The concourses are narrow enough to make a claustrophobic person sweat.
The new stadium at the waterfront is a different beast entirely. It’s a 52,888-seat statement of intent. The brickwork is designed to honor the old warehouse architecture of the Liverpool docks. It’s rugged. It’s tall. It’s right on the water. This isn't just a pitch; it's a massive regeneration project for the northern docks. People keep asking if Everton will lose their soul leaving "The Grand Old Lady." Maybe. But you can't pay modern wages with 1920s gate receipts. The revenue jump from the new ground is expected to be astronomical, potentially doubling the club's matchday income.
What happens to the old site?
Everton isn't just selling Goodison to a housing developer and running away. The "Goodison Legacy" project is pretty unique. They’re looking at healthcare facilities, high-quality social housing, and small business spaces. They want to keep the "Everton in the Community" heartbeat right where it started. It’s a risky move, but a necessary one to keep the L4 postcode from collapsing once the circus moves to the river.
📖 Related: Denver Broncos Schedule 2024: What Most People Get Wrong
Anfield’s Infinite Expansion
While Everton moves out, Liverpool FC has decided to dig in. They’ve spent the last decade playing a very high-stakes game of Tetris with the surrounding streets. First, it was the Main Stand. Then, the Anfield Road End. The result? A capacity hovering around 61,000.
Anfield is a fascinating study in how to modernize a "landlocked" stadium. Because they are surrounded by Victorian terraced housing, every expansion involves years of legal battles, compulsory purchase orders, and delicate PR. Fenway Sports Group (FSG) realized early on that building a new stadium in Stanley Park—which was the plan under the previous owners, Hicks and Gillett—was a financial suicide mission. Instead, they’ve turned Anfield into a revenue-generating monster without losing the "spion kop" atmosphere that makes the place terrifying for visiting teams.
It’s loud. It’s cramped in the best way. But even now, there are whispers about what comes next. Can they go bigger? Probably not without moving the actual road behind the Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand. The physics of it get tricky. The roof of the new Main Stand is already one of the largest single-span structures in Europe.
The Logistics of the L4 and L3 Split
When we talk about Liverpool and Everton grounds, we have to talk about transport. Anfield is famously a nightmare to get to. There’s no train station right there. You’re basically relying on the 917 bus or a very long walk from Sandhills or Kirkdale.
The new Everton stadium at Bramley-Moore (L3) changes the game. It’s walking distance from the city center. It’s near the cruise terminal. This shift moves the "center of gravity" for matchday footfall. Local pubs in L4, like The Winslow or The Brick, are bracing for the impact. If you’ve ever had a pint at The Sandon before a Liverpool game, you know that the ecosystem of the neighborhood depends on these grounds. With Everton moving to the water, the economic map of Liverpool's football culture is being redrawn in real-time.
🔗 Read more: Aidan Hutchinson Leg Injury: What Most People Get Wrong About His Recovery
- Accessibility: Everton's move to the docks makes them more "tourist-friendly," which is a double-edged sword for local fans.
- Infrastructure: Liverpool is pushing for better rail links to Anfield, but the "LFC line" remains a dream for now.
- Capacity Wars: Liverpool currently holds the edge, but Everton’s new home will have superior corporate facilities from day one.
The Myth of the Shared Stadium
Let’s kill this one once and for all. Every five years, some politician or "efficiency expert" suggests Liverpool and Everton should share a stadium like the Milan clubs do at the San Siro.
It will never happen.
The rivalry is too deep, but more importantly, the branding is too distinct. FSG has spent hundreds of millions making Anfield an "LFC Experience." Everton has staked its entire future on the Bramley-Moore identity. Sharing a ground would dilute the commercial value of both clubs. In a city where you are born "Red" or "Blue," sharing a home is seen as a betrayal of heritage. It’s about more than just grass; it’s about the soil.
The Architecture of Intimidation
At Goodison, the fans are so close to the pitch you can practically hear the players breathing. That "bear pit" atmosphere is hard to replicate in a shiny new stadium. This is the biggest challenge for Everton’s architects, Meis Studio. They’ve designed a steep "home end" stand to mimic the effect of the Gwladys Street.
Anfield has managed to keep its intimidation factor despite the shiny new stands. The key was the acoustics. The roofs are angled to bounce sound back onto the pitch. When "You'll Never Walk Alone" starts, the decibel levels are genuinely physical. This is why these grounds matter—they aren't just buildings; they are acoustic instruments played by 60,000 people.
Future-Proofing the Merseyside Matchday
If you are planning to visit these grounds, the experience is changing. For Liverpool, it's about the "Anfield Campus." They want you there three hours before kickoff, buying food and visiting the museum. For Everton, it’s about the "Waterfront Experience." They want to link the matchday to the wider revitalized docklands.
What most people get wrong is thinking this is just about football. It’s about real estate, global tourism, and city planning. Liverpool is a city that breathes through its football clubs. When the grounds change, the city changes.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Visitors
If you're heading to the city to see these iconic sites, don't just do the stadium tour. Do the walk. Start at the Dixie Dean statue at Goodison, walk through Stanley Park, and end up at the Paisley Gateway at Anfield. You can do it in fifteen minutes. It’s the only place in the world where two Premier League cathedrals sit so close.
- For Liverpool matches: Book the "917" express bus from Commutation Row near Lime Street station. It’s the only reliable way in and out.
- For Everton’s final seasons at Goodison: Go now. Seriously. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. Sit in the Upper Bullens if you want to see the old-school Leitch framework, even if a pillar might block your view of a corner.
- For the New Dock Stadium: Keep an eye on the "Regent Road" developments. The walk from the Royal Albert Dock to the new stadium site is becoming one of the best coastal walks in the UK.
The geography of Liverpool and Everton grounds is a tale of two different philosophies. One club is expanding its history, while the other is building a new future on the water. Both are essential to the identity of the city. Whether you're a local or a visitor, seeing this transition in 2026 is like watching a piece of living history move into its next chapter. The North End of Liverpool will never be the same again, and honestly, that’s exactly how a living city should work.
Next Steps for Your Trip:
Check the official club websites for "Legend Tours." Having a former player like Ian Callaghan or Mark Higgins walk you through the tunnels provides a level of detail no guidebook can match. If you're interested in the construction, the Everton Stadium website has a live drone feed of the Bramley-Moore progress that is updated weekly.