Elland Road – design description

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

Plans to expand Leeds United's stadium include the expansion of the west and the north stands. The expansion will increase the stadium's capacity to around 53,000 spectators, putting the venue among the ten largest football stadiums in England.

The project is to be carried out in two stages: the first will involve the expansion of the west stand and the next will involve the enlargement of the stand behind the northern goal.

The project bears a strong resemblance to the expansion of Liverpool's Anfield Stadium – which is not surprising given that the same architectural firm is responsible for the plans in both cases.

The concept was unveiled in April 2025 – just after Leeds United's promotion to the Premier League. According to very preliminary assumptions, Phase I of the work (expansion of the west stand) could be carried out in 2026–2028.

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 April 28, 2025, a week after the team secured promotion to the Premier League (after a two-year hiatus), the club unveiled the first renderings of the Elland Road expansion project.

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 plans are strikingly similar to the Anfield expansion project, which KSS Group was also responsible for: the expanded stands will receive an almost identical canopy that slopes down toward the pitch, supported from above by large trusses and finished with glass sections.

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.

According to preliminary assumptions, the club is expected to submit a planning application during 2025. The first phase (the west stand) would be implemented between 2026 and 2028, after which Elland Road's capacity would increase to around 47,000 seats.