Lincoln City Football Club has provided an update on the evolving matchday experience at ProAmpac Stadium following significant summer redevelopment work. The club's first home league fixture of the season against Portsmouth exposed several teething problems as the stadium reopened after a compressed period of major upgrades.
What changes were made for the new season?
The Imps Territory work and wider stadium developments undertaken this summer represent a significant change to the matchday environment at the ProAmpac Stadium, the club said. For the Portsmouth fixture, temporary seating was introduced throughout the Fan Village. Several 'belly bars' were added around the columns in that area to improve service. The new big screen was used to show a pre-match video that incorporated the air-raid siren and key moments from the club's history against Portsmouth. The stadium is also working on installing a permanent running match clock within the Rilmac Stand mid-tier LED advertising ribbon.
Some areas are still being finalized. The View hospitality suite in the Upper Rilmac Stand remains closed due to fire curtain system remedial works that require Building Control approval. The seating within the Upper Rilmac Stand, however, remains open and available as normal. The scale and pace of the summer works meant large areas of an ageing stadium had been shut down and brought back online within a short timeframe.
Why did issues arise on the opening day?
The ProAmpac Stadium is not a modern, centrally controlled venue where every piece of infrastructure feeds through a single building-management system. During the works, contractors had to isolate water supplies, electrical systems, pumps and other infrastructure across different parts of the ground. Some issues only became apparent once the stadium was fully operational and occupied by 10,000 people simultaneously. For instance, some areas had not been stocked with basic supplies such as toilet roll due to the late handover of sections to stadium operations staff.
Everyone at the club remains proud of everything achieved during the summer programme. Team members, contractors, partners and volunteers undertook a huge amount of work to transform significant parts of the stadium. Supporters are thanked for their patience, understanding and constructive feedback following the Portsmouth game. The stadium and matchday experience will continue to evolve with ongoing listening, learning and refining game by game.
How does this fit with the current season?
The stadium updates come as Lincoln City look to build momentum in the Championship. After three games, the Imps sit 17th with three points from one win and two losses. They have scored three goals and conceded five, giving them a minus two goal difference. The club is six points behind early leaders Charlton Athletic. You can track their progress on the official standings page.
The immediate focus turns to the next fixture. Lincoln City host Southampton at the ProAmpac Stadium on Saturday, 5 September 2026. Fans can view the full schedule on the club's fixtures list.
