The capacity of West Ham's London Stadium is to increase to 62,500 seats, it has been confirmed.

Newham Council has granted planning permission for the extra 2,500 seats on match days, with those to be released once the safety certificate application has been completed.

The expansion takes the London Stadium closer to its full capacity, which is now close to 67,000 due to enhancements to the Bobby Moore and Sir Trevor Brooking stands.

Should the club be able to reach that milestone, the London Stadium would become the biggest Premier League venue in London.

The news will help meet a growing demand for tickets, West Ham says, with days out at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park stadium more popular than ever following the Hammers' exploits at home and in Europe.

The team consistently attracts crowds of 60,000 people for Premier League matches, and strong attendances in the UEFA Europa League; not to mention the sell-out crowd expected tonight for the Carabao Cup fourth-round tie against Manchester City


West Ham's vice-chairman Baroness Brady heralded the increase as "another great sign of progression" for the club: "Since the regular return of supporters this year, we have seen a terrific response with every Premier League fixture so far this season sold out, and we thank them for their continued fantastic backing including breaking attendance records as part of regular capacity crowds at London Stadium."

First team manager David Moyes is buoyed by the prospect of having another 2,500 fervent fans cheering his team on.

“Everyone here is doing everything we can to grow and develop this football club, on and off the pitch, for the benefit of our supporters, and we all feel that things are moving in the right direction," said Mr Moyes.

"The supporters being back has been fantastic and the atmosphere they have created, with 60,000 in the stadium, has been right up there every game. Having more fans in here cheering the team on will make it even better for us all."

Further information on the availability of the extra tickets will be made available in due course.