Manchester City to honor Pep Guardiola with statue and named stand

Manchester City have confirmed that the expanded North Stand at the Etihad Stadium will be renamed ‘the Pep Guardiola Stand’. The club will also commission a statue for the outgoing manager following his historic time at Manchester. Guardiola honored with tribute at Etihad Stadium The announcement is a tribute to the decade of Catalan dominance in English football, during which he transformed the club into a global power and won a trophy that redefined the Premier League era. The stand will be officially opened for the first time during Guardiola’s final match against Aston Villa on Sunday. The redevelopment project, which began in late 2023, added more than 7,000 seats and increased the stadium’s capacity to more than 61,000 seats. City have also confirmed plans to commission a statue of Guardiola outside the new stand. The Catalan will join club legends Vincent Kompany, David Silva and Sergio Agüero in being recognized permanently on the Etihad campus. Guardiola and City hierarchy pay tribute Speaking at his press conference, Guardiola admitted he was touched by the club’s gesture as he prepared to leave Manchester after a hugely successful decade in charge. “Khaldoon [Al Mubarak] called me this morning to tell me that the club had made this decision,” Guardiola said. “I have no words. I love the feeling that my vibe or my energy will be there forever. So I like that feeling.” Club owner Sheikh Mansour also praised Guardiola’s influence on and off the pitch, insisting his legacy extends beyond the trophies won during his tenure. “I said a long time ago that Manchester City should have the best people at their disposal, on and off the pitch. For ten years, Pep has embodied this ambition,” Mansour explained on the club’s official website. “He has left an indelible mark in the Club’s DNA. A victory that has more to do with the way he won than the many trophies he has won. He has the infinite gratitude of myself and the entire City family, a family of which he will always be a part. The Guardiola Stand and the statue that will stand outside rightly ensure that Pep’s legacy will forever be woven into the fabric of this football club, the city of Manchester and English football,” he said. “The unique relationship he has with our fans has been earned through the honesty and passion of his ten seasons fighting to bring them success. The Pep Guardiola Stand is a fitting and permanent reminder of that relationship, the most successful period in our club’s history and the unique footballing genius at its heart. 2026 FIFA World Cup: How to Watch The 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Spread across three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament matches will be broadcast live on FOX. (70) and FS1 (34), with each game broadcast live and on demand on the FOX One and FOX Sports apps. A record 40 games, more than a third of the tournament, will be broadcast in prime time on FOX (21) and FS1 (19). The June 11 opening match between Mexico and South Africa (3 p.m. ET) will be streamed for free on Tubi, along with the United States’ opening match against Paraguay on June 12 (9 p.m. ET).