King Power Stadium – stadium description

Leicester City player their Home games at Filbert Street for a hundred years already (from 1891), when infrastructure regulations in England started changing. The stadium, despite historical upgrades and quick renovation proved too modest for increasing interest in City games.

Construction of a new venue became the most likely option in mid-1990s, even 40,000 seats were mentioned initially. But in November 2002 the club presented its vision to move just meters south of the old stadium, to a single-tiered 32,000-seater.

Work started in the summer of 2001 and the stadium was operable already within one year, in time for the 2002/03 season.

Unfortunately, the move came in a difficult moment – sponsorship and transfer markets collapsed, while City weren’t only relegated from the Premier League, but also had to bear the cost of £37 million new stadium.

Club went into receivership and lost control of its new stadium, taken over by Teachers Insurance. The American company sold it in 2013 to King Power, Thai corporation who previously bought the club as well.

Due to naming rights deal, the stadium had been called Walkers Stadium from 2002 to 2012, later becoming known as King Power Stadium, promoting the Asian investors. However, for many fans it’s still Filbert Way, for its address and connection to the historical roots.

How King Power Stadium compares to other Premier League venues?