Image: Nashville SCBigger might be better, but it also takes a little longer.

In an open letter posted on the team’s website Thursday, Nashville SC CEO Ian Ayre said the franchise has expanded its vision for the stadium slated for The Fairgrounds Nashville as it prepares for its Major League Soccer debut.

According to Ayre, Nashville SC will have the “largest soccer-specific stadium in the U.S.” — eventually. Capacity will be 30,000, a club spokesman confirmed. As a result, the construction timeline has been extended by several months and the clubs won’t move into its permanent home until 2022.

“I have found in my experience of building stadiums and facilities, it is important to design the stadium from the inside out, so that it is first and foremost fit for purpose, and it is equally important to get it done right rather than get it done quickly,” Ayre, who has an extensive history in European soccer, wrote. “Our team has taken the original outline ideas and concepts and worked with architects and our construction partner to develop the best possible soccer specific stadium for our fans.

“We are now approaching a highly functional design that all of Nashville can be proud of.”

Nashville SC will begin MLS competition in 2020 and now plans to play home games at Nissan Stadium through its first two seasons.

Metro Council approved the original plan for a 27,500-seat Fairgrounds venue in November 2017 at a cost of $250 million. Ayre did not say how much more than alterations would add to the budget or who would foot the bill.

Among current MLS franchises, Atlanta United and Seattle Sounders FC, which play in NFL stadiums, have the largest seating capacities. Among the soccer-specific stadiums, Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California (27,000), Orlando City Stadium in Orlando (25,500) and Red Bull Arena in New York (25,000) are the largest.

The league’s newest venues include Audi Field in Washington D.C. (20,000) and Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minnesota (19,400).

Inter Miami CF, which also will join MLS in 2020, is building a 25,000-seat soccer specific facility.

Nashville SC expects construction of its stadium to be completed sometime in 2021 but the club will wait until the following year until it plays there. Ayre also said the team will build a permanent training facility and development academy once it identifies and secures a suitable site.

“We believe opening the 2022 season in our new stadium will be a better outcome for both our team and our fans,” Ayre said. “Moving into a new facility in the middle of the 2021 season and losing home field advantage could negatively affect our team on the field, and equally we believe this decision avoids disruption to our ticket holders midseason.

“Overall this will allow more adequate time for construction, testing and commissioning of our new home.”