Elland Road – design description

What does the Elland Road expansion project look like in a nutshell?

Plans for the expansion of Leeds United’s stadium include the redevelopment of two stands – the west stand and the north stand. As a result, the stadium’s capacity will increase to 53,000 seats, placing the venue among the ten largest football stadiums in England.

The project closely resembles the redevelopment of Liverpool’s Anfield, which is not surprising given that both concept designs were created by the same architectural practice (KSS Group). The plans were unveiled in April 2025, shortly after Leeds United secured promotion to the Premier League.

The investment is planned to be delivered in two phases: the first will involve the redevelopment of the west stand (2026–2028), followed by the expansion of the north end (2029–2030). Early works began in May 2026.

What does Elland Road look like?

The history of Elland Road begins back in the late 19th century. Since its creation in 1919, the stadium has been hosted by Leeds United, a leading football club from Leeds – a large city of more than half a million people located in the northern part of England.

The stadium has undergone many transformations over the years, with the last major rebuilding taking place just after Leeds United won its third (and last to date) English championship: between 1992 and 1994, a completely new stand was built on the east side.

At the beginning of the 21st century, Leeds United was planning to build a new 50,000-seat stadium in another location. However, the club ran into financial problems and the project did not materialize.

Built in the 1990s, the two-story east stand is currently by far the tallest in the stadium – the height of its lower floor is roughly equivalent to the height of each of the other stands.

The capacity of the stadium currently stands at more than 37,000 spectators, which is far below demand – the club has been regularly selling out of tickets for its matches for several years, and the waiting list for season tickets has reached 26,000.

How did the plans to expand Elland Road come about?

Since 2018, 49ers Enterprises, an American investment group affiliated with the NFL team, the San Francisco 49ers, has been investing in Leeds United. In July 2023, 49ers Enterprises became the majority shareholders of the club.

49ers Enterprises also took control of Elland Road Limited, which owned the stadium. In March 2024, ownership of the stadium was transferred to the club, which became the owner of the venue for the first time since 2004, when it decided to sell it amid financial problems.

The club had long hinted that it wanted to expand its stadium in response to overwhelming fan interest. A statement issued in September 2024 laid out the basic principles of the future investment, and announced a collaboration with architects from KSS Group, as well as structural engineers form Buro Happold and management team at RISE.

When was the Elland Road expansion project presented?

On 28 April 2025, one week after the team secured promotion to the Premier League (following a two-year absence), the club presented the concept for the redevelopment of Elland Road, prepared by KSS Group.

In August 2025, the club announced a new tender for the development of full design documentation, which was won by BDP Pattern. As a result, the final design will be produced by a different architectural practice, although it will be based on the vision developed by KSS Group.

What does the Elland Road expansion project entail?

The essence of the plan is a significant expansion of two stands: the west stand and the one behind the northern goal. The south stand will also undergo some changes. The expansion will increase the stadium's capacity to about 53,000 spectators.

The western stand (John Charles Stand) after the expansion will have three levels and will become the largest in the entire stadium. The stand behind the northern goal (Don Revie Stand, the Kop) is to be divided into two tiers.

The project shows clear similarities to the redevelopment of Anfield, which was also designed by KSS Group – the expanded stands are set to feature a near-identical roof, sloping down towards the pitch and supported from above by large trusses, with glazed sections at the ends.

The current west stand at Elland Road was opened in 1957, replacing a structure that had burned down the previous year. The north stand, meanwhile, was built in 1968 on the site of the former Spion Kop, with its corners added in the early 1970s.

When will the Elland Road expansion be carried out?

The project is to be carried out in stages: the west stand is to be expanded first, and then the work will concern the north stand. The works are to be carried out in such a way as to minimize capacity constraints during matches.

After the project was presented in April 2025, the club carried out public consultations, and in July 2025 submitted a planning application. In April 2026, the city granted full planning permission for Phase 1 of the works (west stand). 

The first works related to the redevelopment of Elland Road began in May 2026. Completion of the expanded west stand is scheduled for late 2028. The next phase will be the redevelopment of the north end, which is expected to start in early 2029 and run until the end of 2030.

Elland Road redevelopment updates are available on a separate page