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 Elland Road, 2016 | |
 Interactive map of Elland Road | |
| Full name | Elland Road Stadium |
|---|---|
| Former names | Old Peacock Ground[1] |
| Address | Elland Road |
| Location | Beeston, Leeds England LS11 0ES |
| Coordinates | 53°46′40″N1°34′20″W / 53.77778°N 1.57222°W /53.77778; -1.57222 |
| Public transit |  CottingleyLeeds Leeds Park and Ride |
| Owner | Leeds United Football Club Limited[2] |
| Operator | Leeds United |
| Capacity | 37,645[3][4] |
| Record attendance | 57,892 (Leeds United vsSunderland, 15 March 1967) |
| Field size | 105 by 68 metres (114.8 yd × 74.4 yd)[5] |
| Surface | GrassMaster (Hybrid Grass) |
| Scoreboard | Philips VideoTron |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1897[1] |
| Opened | 1897[1] |
| Renovated | 1920s, 1953, 1971, 1994, 2006, 2011–2012[1] |
| Expanded | 1905, 1920s, 1957, 1968, 1970, 1974, 1989, 1991, 1994[1] |
| Tenants | |
| Holbeck (1897–1904) Rugby League Leeds City (1904–1919) Football Yorkshire Amateur (1919) Football Leeds United (1919–present) Football Hunslet (1983–1994) Rugby League
| |
Elland Road, orElland Road Stadium, is a football stadium inBeeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, which has been thehome ofLeeds United since the club's formation in 1919.[6] With a capacity of 37,645, the stadium is the14th largest football stadium in England.
The ground has hostedFA Cupsemi-final matches as a neutral venue, andEngland international fixtures,[7] and was selected as one of eightEuro 96 venues.[8] Elland Road was used as home ground byrugby league clubs Holbeck (pre-1905) andHunslet (in the 1980s and 90s)[9] and has hosted numerous rugby league cup finals and semi-finals, internationals and other important matches.
Elland Road has four stands – theDon Revie (North) Stand (also known as the kop), theJack Charlton (East) Stand (which was once known as the Lowfields Road stand),[10] theNorman Hunter South Stand and theJohn Charles (West) Stand – and an all-seated capacity of 37,645. Elland Road had recorded its record league attendance on 27 December 1932, where a capacity of 56,796 watched Leeds playedArsenal and then the record attendance of 57,892 was set on 15 March 1967 in an FA Cup fifth roundreplay againstSunderland.[6][11] This was before the stadium became an all-seater venue as stipulated by theTaylor Report and the modern record is 40,287 for a Premiership match againstNewcastle United on 22 December 2001.[12] Plans are currently afoot to increase the capacity of Elland Road to 55,000,[13] to be achieved by demolishing the West Stand and rebuilding the area.[14]
The stadium has hosted concerts, including performances by bands such asQueen,U2,Happy Mondays and theKaiser Chiefs.[15][16][17][18]
The site, at the foot ofBeeston Hill beside theA643 road toElland,[19] was owned by Bentley's Brewery and was called the Old Peacock Ground, after thepub which faced the land, hence the nickname the Peacocks associated with both Leeds City and United. Anurban myth claims that the ground was cursed by gypsies whom had been forced off the land to allow for the construction of the stadium. In 1971 after a run of poor form, the Leeds managerDon Revie hired a fortune teller from Blackpool named Gypsy Rose Lee to lift the alleged curse.[20]
The first occupants wereHolbeck Rugby Club (rugby league) who moved from Holbeck Recreation Ground after buying the Old Peacock Ground from Bentley's for £1,100. The first competitive football match at the ground was as a neutral venue for the West Yorkshire Cup final on 23 April 1898 betweenHunslet andHarrogate, with Hunslet winning 1–0.[21] Holbeck erected a new stand in readiness for the 1898–99 rugby season. The ground eventually became known simply as Elland Road. For the 1902–03 season the Association football team, Leeds Woodville of the Leeds League, shared the ground with Holbeck RLFC in the1902–03 season, but Holbeck went under in 1904 after losing aplay-off againstSt. Helens and the ground was put on the market. After a meeting at the Griffin Hotel inBoar Lane in August, a new club, Leeds City, was formed and it was agreed that the Elland Road ground would berented for the upcoming season. The lease was signed on 13 October 1904, for a rent of £75 per year. The club had an option to buy the ground for £5,000 in March 1905, but in November, the price was reduced to £4,500.
After City's first season in theFootball League, the club built a 5,000-seater covered stand on the west side at a cost of £1,050. Attendances were rising, culminating in over 22,500 people cramming into the stadium to watch alocal derby withBradford City on 30 December, bringing in £487 of gate receipts. An expansion programme continued, and the club's directors ensured that the initial success was built upon, employing a "ground committee" to oversee developments. In February 1906, 3,961 square yards of land on the Churwell and Gelderd Road side of the ground was bought from the Monk's Bridge Iron Company at a cost of £420. The committee built a 4,000-seatergrandstand which theLord Mayor,Joseph Hepworth, unveiled before a match againstChelsea on 17 November. The project cost £3,000 and over half a mile of steel was used. There was a training track for the players that ran the length of the stand, dressing and official's rooms and a motor garage.Drainage work was carried out on the pitch to prevent it from becoming waterlogged.[21]
City experienced financial hardships jeopardising the club's future but after much uncertainty, an offer of £1,000 and an annual rental of £250 was accepted for the ground. The ground was used during theGreat War as a venue fordrill and shooting practice until the1919–20 season commenced. City started that season brightly, but scandal arose involving illegal payments to players during the war years and the club was expelled from the Football League after only eight games. This led some local businessmen to contemplate digging up theclay deposits under the pitch and turning Elland Road into abrickyard.Yorkshire Amateurs became thetenants, and that club played there for a brief spell saving the ground from development.
In 1920, Yorkshire Amateurs sold Elland Road to the newly formed Leeds United for £250.
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In the 1920s, the South Standterrace was covered with a woodenbarrel-shaped roof and came to be known as the Scratching Shed. Another stand was built on the east side terracing called the Lowfields. Behind the goal at the north end was a terrace known as the Spion Kop, or simply Kop, from a hill in South Africa on which 322British soldiers died in theBattle of Spion Kop, in January 1900, in theBoer War.
No significant changes were made to Elland Road in the 1930s, and 1940s, although it did see some large attendances. On 27 December 1932, 56,796 spectators attended for the visit of eventualchampionsArsenal – a record that would last for almost 35 years. The last game of that season saw Leeds playMiddlesbrough at home in front of 9,006 spectators. The stadium was chosen to host the all city of LeedsRugby Football League Championship Final betweenLeeds andHunslet in 1938, when a crowd of 54,112 saw Hunslet win the title. In the Second World War, the ground was requisitioned by theWar Office for administrative purposes.
Floodlights were first used on 9 November 1953 for a match againstHibernian when the £7,000 lights, claimed to be the most expensive in the country at the time, were switched on. The game attracted 31,500 spectators who saw two goals each fromJohn Charles and managerRaich Carter as Leeds beat the Scottish side 4–1. It was the first of several Monday night games against teams from north of the border and in successive weeks,Dundee andFalkirk were the visitors to Elland Road.
In the early hours of Tuesday 18 September 1956, a fire gutted the West Stand and scorched large sections of the pitch. The blaze consumed the entire structure, including offices,kit,club records,physiotherapy equipment, dressing rooms, directors' rooms, thepress box and thegenerators for the floodlighting system. The roof of the stand collapsed into the seating area before thefire brigade arrived and the total damage was estimated to be £100,000, but the club's insurance cover was inadequate. The players helped clear rubble and wreckage, but the 2,500-seater stand could not be salvaged. After a board meeting, the directors decided to launch a public appeal to build a new stand with assistance fromLeeds City Council. The appeal raised £60,000 and a £180,000 West Stand was opened at the start of the following season.
The new stand had of 4,000 seats mounted behind a paddock, which could hold 6,000 standing spectators. Two years later another fire started after aCentral League match againstPreston North End affecting the West Stand. Fortunately, Cyril Williamson, the club secretary, and several directors were on hand and the fire was extinguished and no significant damage was caused.
The 1960s saw the arrival ofDon Revie as manager and the club were promoted to theFirst Division. The club finished in the top four places for the next ten seasons and Elland Road hosted its firsttelevised game – a league fixture againstEverton on 20 March 1965 – and Leeds were 4–1 winners. Great advances were made on the stadium during Revie's reign and a new attendance record of 57,892 was set on 15 March 1967, in a fifth-round replay of theFA Cup againstSunderland. In April 1968, the Spion Kop terracing was stripped away to make way for a new stand at a cost of £250,000. The roofed structure was built in less than six weeks and became known as the Gelderd End. When completed it left around 60 feet (18 m) of land behind the goal which was turfed, and the pitch moved 30 feet (9.1 m) north.
Further improvements in 1970 included the coupling of the West Stand and the Kop with a £200,000 corner stand, the North-West corner. To complement the upgrade, an almost identical stand was built, linking the Lowfields stand and the Kop, which cost £200,000. In 1972, when the Leeds United Sports and Souvenir Shop opened, featuring aprogramme collection. In 1974, Leedswon the league for the second time and the Scratching Shed was dismantled and replaced by the South Stand at a cost of £500,000. Thisstate of the art development comprised a standing paddock capable of holding 4,000 fans, a row of 16 executive boxes, above which was an all-seater 3,500 capacity stand. Plans to link the South Stand with the Lowfields were curtailed when Leeds ran out of money. In the same year, the floodlights were replaced by the tallest floodlights in Europe, measuring 260 feet (79 m). Initially, three floodlights were erected – two at either side of the Kop and another in the South-West corner – and the other was erected four years later.
The first match televised live was the rugby league Challenge Cup final replay between Hull FC and Widnes played on 19 May 1982. In summer 1982, Leeds sold Elland Road toLeeds City Council for £2.5 million, and the council granted the club a 125-year lease and the homelessHunslet RLFC also moved in. Ambitious plans to improve the stadium and neighbouring sporting facilities were designed in 1987 byNewcastle upon Tyne architects and promoted by developers Baltic Consortium and W. H. White. The estimated costs were between £50 million and £75 million to re-build the Lowfields with a 7,500 all-seater stand and construct a peripheral 2,000-seater sports stadium adjacent to the stand. Other plans included a shopping centre,ice rink,cricket hall, cinema,nightclub, café, restaurant,waterpark,leisure centre and shops. None of the designs were acted on.
In September 1991, the South-East corner was opened, joining the South and Lowfields Stands providing a full corner stand for away supporters. This section was used as the "family stand" until membership proved too big for its 1,710 capacity and a new home found in the East Stand. It is prominent because of its yellow seats, which have given its nickname, the "cheese wedge". Abanqueting suite at the rear of the west stand, with aconference centre, was opened in April 1992.[22] The biggest renovation project to date began in the summer of 1992, when the Lowfields was demolished and replaced by a new East Stand – a 17,000-seater stand with two tiers and no restricted views.[23] On completion in 1993, at a cost of £5.5 million, it housed 25 executive boxes, 10,000 seats in the bottom tier, part of which formed the members-only family section, and a further 7,000 seats in the upper tier. The East Stand was then the biggestcantilever stand in the world. This coincided with the completion of theSouth Leeds Stadium, a new home for Hunslet RLFC, who now left Elland Road.
For the1994–95 season Elland Road became an all-seater stadium, with nearly 7,000 seats replacing the terracing in the Kop, as directed by theTaylor Report. The new-look Kop was officially opened in October by the club's president,George Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood and Elsie Revie, widow of the lateDon Revie. The Gelderd End was renamed the Don Revie Stand in honour of the club's former manager.
On 16 November 1997, the third and deciding match of theSuper League Test series betweenGreat Britain andAustralia was played at Elland Road before a crowd of 39,337.
In December 1997, £11.3 million plans to improve the West and South Stands were unveiled which would have raised capacity to around 45,000. A new structure mirroring the East Stand would have seated around 12,000 people. A three-tier structure would focus onhospitality with a 15,000-seaterindoor arena at the rear of the West Stand. This venue would have accommodated basketball,ice hockey, pop concerts and other events. However, after naming an ice hockey team, Leeds Lasers, to play at the arena, the project was shelved. Earlier plans to create a 65,000-seater "Wembley of the North" at Elland Road also failed to materialise.
Leeds received the ownership of Elland Road once again in 1998, when the new owners, Leeds Sporting Company agreed to pay £10 million to buy back the stadium from Leeds City Council.
On 16 August 2001, chairmanPeter Ridsdale sent a letter toseason ticket holders and shareholders regarding the future of the club outlining two options, to improve Elland Road or to relocate. Aballot form was included but the letter was biased in favour of relocation.[24] Less than 13% voted to stay at Elland Road and 87.6% of the 18,500 who voted were in favour of the move. On 7 September 2001, Ridsdale announced his intention to move the club to a 50,000-seat stadium atSkelton in time for the2004–05 season.[25] The plans never came to fruition as Ridsdale resigned in March 2003, leaving financial disarray and the PLC was soon to follow in March 2004.
Later that year, Elland Road was sold with a 25-year lease and buy-back clause to raise funds to pay an instalment of a loan toJack Petchey. It emerged on 27 December 2006 that the stadium had been sold to theBritish Virgin Islands-based Teak Trading Corporation 15 months before.[26]
In summer 2006, the South Stand was updated and closed for the first few games of the2006–07 season while work was completed. The refurbishment included boxing in the concrete columns and alcoves; overhaul of the kitchen concourse area, amezzanine-level office area, modernisation of the corporate facilities above and a restaurant, Billy's Bar, named after former club captainBilly Bremner.
Plans for development at Elland Road to include hotels, a shopping centre andhealth club were featured in the programme for the match against Huddersfield Town on 8 December 2007. There would be hotels on the site of the shop. Possible adjacent developments could include an arena,casino, police headquarters, cafés, bars and parking for 2,700 cars.[27] On 27 October 2008, the club released plans for redevelopment behind the East Stand containing a 350-room hotel, a coveredarcade with shops, bars, and restaurants; extended and improved facilities for business conferences and events, amegastore,office block andnightclub.[28] On 6 November 2008, the city council announced it would not be building the proposedLeeds Arena on council owned land adjacent to the ground.[29]
On 16 December 2009, the host cities and stadia to be used if England won the right to host the2018 World Cup were revealed. Leeds was chosen and had the bid been successful theJohn Charles andDon Revie stands would have been rebuilt, increasing capacity to over 50,000. However, England did not host the 2018 tournament.[30][31]
On 28 December 2009, chairman Ken Bates spoke about future plans to increase the capacity of the South Stand in the future by around 2–3,000. This would be achieved by removing the executive boxes and replacing them with seating. This work never started as Ken Bates sold the club in 2012.
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In March 2011, the East Stand Development began phase one of a five-phase redevelopment project which included an extension to the East Stand Upper's main concourse along with the addition of 25 executive boxes and a modern upgrade to the external appearance of the stand; whilst this created extra corporate facilities and more room on the concourse, it in-turn reduced the East Stand Upper's capacity by around 2,500 seats, thus leaving the overall capacity of the ground to stand at just under 38,000 seats.[32] An arcade, hotel and megastore were planned to be built as part of the four further phases, however these plans did not take place following the sale of the club to GFH Capital who then sold the club to Massimo Cellino.
In June 2017, new Leeds United ownerAndrea Radrizzani bought the stadium back from Jacob Adler's company Teak Commercial Limited for £20 million, using his own company Greenfield Investment Pte Ltd.[33] The first game taking back control of the stadium was against Oxford United in a pre-season friendly on Saturday 29 July 2017 in which Leeds United won 2–0.
In July 2017 the club announced a number of internal and external improvements were in the process of being made to Elland Road to improve the general appearance of the stadium. The improvements consisted of a partial new roof and cladding on the West Stand, banners on either side of the East Stand, South Stand and Northeast Corner of the ground featuring Leeds United legends past and present. In addition, the inside of the West Stand, dressing rooms and hospitality suites all underwent cosmetic improvement.[34]
In April 2020, following the death of Leeds legendNorman Hunter, the South Stand of Elland Road was renamed "The Norman Hunter Stand".[35]
In January 2021, the club announced its plans to transform the adjoining 'Centenary Pavilion' into a large vaccination centre to counteract theCOVID-19 pandemic, as part of theCOVID-19 vaccination programme in the United Kingdom.[36]
In July 2024, Leeds United announced it had again taken full ownership of Elland Road, in March 2024, having sold it in 2004. The stadium is also listed as anasset of community value after an application by the Leeds United Supporters' Trust was approved by Leeds City Council.[37]
In September 2025, Leeds United announced thatBDP Architects had been appointed to deliver an expansion of Elland Road, increasing the stadium’s capacity to approximately 53,000.[38] Planning permission was granted byLeeds City Council in January 2026. The finished product will see the John Charles and Don Revie Stands significantly rebuilt with the addition of an upper deck to both, as well as expanded premium seating in the John Charles Stand. The Norman Hunter Stand will also see targeted renovations and additional road improvements will be made around the ground to ease traffic congestion.[39][40]
Capacity: 7,000 (including north-east and north-west corners)
The Don Revie Stand is at the north end of the ground. It was previously known as the Gelderd End orKop and was originally a standing terrace, it was renamed in 1994 in honour of the club's most successful manager and former player,Don Revie. The Revie Stand was officially opened in October by the club's president,George Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood and Mrs E. Revie, the widow of Don Revie. The design has 7,000 seats as stipulated by theTaylor Report, making Elland Road an all-seater stadium. There is a "ground control box" in the north-west corner which is the most advanced in Europe.[22] Videos and photographs taken of everyone entering the ground are monitored and security operations are synchronised. Images and video footage are obtained by thesecurity cameras located around the ground.
Capacity: 14,900
The East Stand is the most recently constructed stand in the stadium. The two-tiered structure was built in the1992–93 season to replace the Lowfields stand and was opened in the1993–94 season at a cost of £5.5 million. On completion, it was the largestcantilever stand in the world, holding 10,000 spectators in the lower tier and a further 7,000 in the upper tier. The family area was moved from the South Stand and originally spanned the full lower tier; however, this was altered by Ken Bates and there are now two sections, one at either end of the lower tier for club members and season ticket holders attending matches with children. Sandwiched in between are 25executive boxes and a large concourse with merchandise outlets, food shops,betting booths and a restaurant. Due to the redevelopment, the capacity of the East Stand was reduced and the words Leeds United AFC were taken off the seats.[22][41]
Capacity: 5,000 (including South-East and South-West corners)
The South Stand was built in 1974 at a cost of £500,000 to replace the Scratching Shed, which had been there since the 1920s. It comprises two small tiers intersected with a row of 32 executive boxes and an executive restaurant. There are a few seats in the South-West Corner, and a large video screen for the 2009–10 season.[42] The South-East Corner seats 1,710 fans and was used to house theaway fans until they were moved to the West Stand. In summer 2006, the stand was redeveloped and closed for the first few games of the2006–07 season. The refurbishment included boxing in the concrete columns and alcoves to give the stand a more modern exterior; an overhaul of the kitchen concourse area; amezzanine-level office area; a total modernisation of the corporate facilities above and a restaurant called Billy's Bar, named after former captain Billy Bremner.[22][43] The club'ssuperstore is nearby. On 23 April 2020 the club announced that the stand would be named afterNorman Hunter, who had died on 20 April.[44]
Capacity: 11,000
The John Charles Stand is on the west side of the pitch and was known as the West Stand until the fans demanded a tribute to former playerJohn Charles, following his death on 21 February 2004. It is currently the oldest two-tiered stand at Elland Road, having been built in 1957 after the previous stand burnt down, ironically forcing Charles' sale as the club needed the funds to pay for a new stand. The corporate seats are located here and there is acommentary gantry and walkway for TV personnel. The radio and press have facilities in this stand. The West Stand houses the tunnel and the directors' box, where home and away team directors view the match, along with the club doctor. There are many suites incorporated within the stand and a banqueting suite and conference centre are attached to the rear, having been opened in April 1992. As of September 2011, parts of the West Stand became the new home for away fans following a £300,000 refurbishment. Future plans would see the John Charles Stand redeveloped to hold a two-floored, three-tiered 3500 square metre site along with executive boxes as part of the ambitions of turning Elland Road into a stadium further capable of hosting world class matches and events.
The pitch measures approximately 115 yards (105 m) long by 74 yards (68 m) wide, with run-off space on each side.[45] There is anunder-soil heating system installed beneath the surface, consisting of 59 miles (95 km) of piping.[43] This, together with a good drainage system, means that only heavy fog, ablizzard or flooding would force the club to cancel a match. There arewells sunk approximately 70 feet (21 m) beneath the West Stand and the North Stand and apumping system is situated under the South Stand, meaning that the club can draw on its own supply of water, should the need arise. However, the first time the club used it, the pitch turned black as the water was too cold.[22]
A statue for legendary captainBilly Bremner was erected outside the ground in 1999.[46] A statue for Leeds' most successful managerDon Revie was also built in 2012, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the club winning theFA Cup.[47]
As part of the renovation towards the Bremner statue to take place in the summer of 2018, the following team was voted by the fans as 11 Legendary players (includingBilly Bremner).[48] They were voted to each have a stone engraved around the Billy Bremner statue outside Elland Road. They were described as '10 legend stones' in the area around the famous statue. Each stone will be engraved with the legends keys stats and achievements during their career's withLeeds United.[49]
Billy Bremner (statue)
John Charles
Jack CharltonAllan Clarke
Johnny GilesEddie GrayNorman HunterPeter Lorimer
Lucas RadebeGary SpeedGordon StrachanIn August 2001, when Leeds were still a leading Premier League side, chairmanPeter Ridsdale unveiled plans for the club to relocate to a 50,000-seat stadium in Skelton. The following month, the club's 33,250 season ticket holders were asked to vote on the proposed relocation. 87.6% of them voted in favour of relocation, but the plans were abandoned within two years following the onset of the club's financial crisis and decline in fortunes on the field.[50]
More recently in October 2019, Leeds United's managing director Angus Kinnear suggested that Elland Road's capacity could be expanded to 55,000 should they be promoted to the Premier League.[13][51]
On 21 April 2025,Leeds City Council approved the sale of land around the stadium allowing an expansion of nearly 20,000 seats making Elland Road England's seventh-biggest football stadium.[52] The following week, the club released concept images and draft proposals for updates to both the West and North Stands, changes to the South Stand, and improvements to the general admission and hospitality facilities.[53]
On 8th Jan 2026, the club announced that Leeds City Council had approved the expansion and granted planning permission for the work to begin. It was announced that proving works would begin immediately and construction would begin at the end of the 2025/26 Premier League season.[54]
Elland Road has hostedFA Cupsemi-final matches as a neutral venue on nine occasions, the first being a tie betweenBarnsley andEverton on 26 March 1910 and the last on 9 April 1995 in a game between Everton andTottenham Hotspur. Other FA Cup semi-finals to have taken place at Elland Road had includedArsenal v.Hull City in 1930,Birmingham City v.Sunderland in 1931,West Bromwich Albion v.Bolton Wanderers in 1935,Charlton Athletic v.Newcastle United in 1947, Newcastle United v.Blackburn Rovers in 1952,Leicester City v.Sheffield United in 1961 andWest Ham United v. Everton in 1980. In addition whenSheffield Wednesday faced Sheffield United in the 1993 FA Cup semi-final the venue was originally planned to be Elland Road but was switched toWembley Stadium following protests from both clubs and their supporters that the stadium was too small to host such a fixture, the risk of crowd trouble were the fixture to be played at Elland Road and due to London clubs Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal having their semi-final at Wembley it was perceived the London clubs would receive an unfair advantage for the FA Cup final.[55]
| Year | Winners | Score | Runners-up | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910 | Barnsley | 0–0 | Everton | |
| 1930 | Arsenal | 2–2 | Hull City | |
| 1931 | Birmingham City | 2–0 | Sunderland | 43,570 |
| 1935 | West Bromwich Albion | 1–1 | Bolton Wanderers | 52,605 |
| 1947 | Charlton Athletic | 4–0 | Newcastle United | |
| 1952 | Newcastle United | 2–1 | Blackburn Rovers | |
| 1961 | Leicester City | 0–0 | Sheffield United | 52,095 |
| 1980 | West Ham United | 2–1 | Everton | 40,720 |
| 1995 | Everton | 4–1 | Tottenham Hotspur | 38,226 |
The ground has hosted threeEngland men's international fixtures and threeEngland women's international. On 8 June 1995, England drew 3–3 withSweden. This was the first England home international played away fromWembley in 22 years, and the first time since 1946 that a new ground had hosted an England international game. The second game was afriendly match againstItaly on 27 March 2002 while the newWembley was being built.[7] In addition, Elland Road would have been a potential host stadium for thefootball tournament at the 2000 Summer Olympics hadManchesterwon its bid to host the2000 Summer Olympics as well as in the failedEnglish bid to host the2018 FIFA World Cup.
England women defeated the Netherlands 5–1 at Elland Road in their final preparation match before winningUEFA Women's Euro 2022 as the host nation.[56]
When England were picked to hostEuro 96, the most recent men's international tournament held in the country, Elland Road was selected as one of the eight venues. It staged threeGroup B matches, all of them involvingSpain.[8] The first two were 1–1 draws withBulgaria on 9 June 1996 andFrance on 15 June 1996. The third was a 2–1 win overRomania on 18 June 1996.
| Date | Winners | Score | Runners-up | Competition | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 May 1983 | England | 2–0 | Scotland | 1984 European Competition for Women's Football qualifying | |
| 11 April 1987 | England | 6–0 |  Northern Ireland | Friendly (women) | |
| 8 June 1995 | England | 3–3 |  Sweden | Friendly (men) | |
| 9 June 1996 |  Spain | 1–1 |  Bulgaria | Euro 1996 | 24,006 |
| 15 June 1996 |  France | 35,626 | |||
| 18 June 1996 | 2–1 |  Romania | 32,719 | ||
| 27 March 2002 |  Italy | 2–1 | England | Friendly (men) | 36,635 |
| 7 June 2018 | England | 2–0 |  Costa Rica | 36,104 | |
| 24 June 2022 | England | 5–1 |  Netherlands | Friendly (women) | 19,365 |
Two of Leeds'West Yorkshire rivals have also used Elland Road as their temporary 'home'. The first club to benefit from the facilities wasHuddersfield Town, when a fire struck their ground on 3 April 1950.[57] Leeds offered its services and Huddersfield played the last two games of the1949–50 season there before returning toLeeds Road the next season, following extensive work to revamp the burnt main stand.Bradford City used Elland Road for three matches after 11 May 1985 when afire consumed a stand atValley Parade during a match againstLincoln City.[58] Two months after the Bradford City stadium fire, the1966 World Cup Final teams from England andWest Germany met in a rematch at Elland Road and raised £46,000 for the Fire Disaster Fund, with England winning the game, 6–4.[59]
Whennon-league team,Farsley Celtic, reached the first round of the FA Cup in 1974, the game was played at Elland Road. Farsley's opposition wasDivision Three sideTranmere Rovers and a crowd of 10,337 saw the League club win, 2–0.[60] In 1990 Elland Road hosted the replay to thefinal of theFA Vase whichYeading F.C. won 1–0 againstBridlington Town A.F.C.
FormerManchester United managerAlex Ferguson said that Elland Road was "the most intimidating venue in Europe".[61]
Originally the home of Holbeck RLFC between 1897 and 1904, Elland Road has hosted rugby league throughout its history (at least 385 matches at present). The 1938Championship Final betweenLeeds and Hunslet was hosted at the ground as a neutral venue; as was the 1982Challenge Cup final replay between Widnes and Hull FC. 10 Challenge Cup semi-finals have been played at the ground as wereYorkshire Cup finals between 1988 and 1993.
Having previously used the ground for a few fixtures in the weekday eveningBBC2 Floodlit Trophy due to theirParkside home not being floodlit,Hunslet rugby league club shared the stadium full time between 1983 and 1995 after leaving Parkside and subsequently playing at theElland Road Greyhound Stadium (closed 1982).[9]
International Rugby League has often been played at Elland Road, including matches in two World Cups, Ashes Tests and competition finals.
The stadium hosted theTri-Nations Final in2004, when a capacity crowd sawAustralia beat Great Britain, 44–4,[62] and again in2005,[63] in a match where 26,534 people watched New Zealand beat Australia 24–0.[64] The2009 Rugby League Four Nations Final between England and Australia was played there with a 16–46 win for Australia. On 19 November 2011 the2011 Rugby League Four Nations Final between England and Australia was also played at the stadium resulting in an 8–30 win for Australia.
Leeds Rhinos have played several matches at Elland Road. They played tour matches there against New Zealand in 1908 and 1926. Due to the redevelopment of their traditional home ofHeadingley Stadium, the Rhinos began the 2018 Super League campaign with two league fixtures at Elland Road.[65] They have also used the ground to hostWorld Club Challenge matches.
The record attendance for a rugby league match at Elland Road of 54,112 was set on 30 April 1938 for the Championship Final between Leeds andHunslet.[66][67] The record for a Rugby League international of 39,468 was set on 20 November 1994 for the deciding 3rd Test of the1994Ashes series between Great Britain and Australia.[68]
Elland Road has hosted 16 rugby league internationals.[69] New Zealand's win over Australia in the 2005 Tri-Nations Final was Australia's first series or tournament loss since being defeated 2–0 byFrance at the end of the1978 Kangaroo tour. Elland Road played host to a semi-final match in the2021 Rugby League World Cup.[70]
Elland Road hosted two of Leeds Rhinos' home Super League games during the redevelopment of Headingley Stadium.[65] On 21 November 2023, it was announced that Elland Road would be the venue for the 2024Magic Weekend.[71]
| Date | Winners | Score | Runners-up | Competition | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 February 2018 |  Leeds Rhinos | 20–11 |  Hull Kingston Rovers | 2018 Super League season | 16,149[72] |
| 23 March 2018 |  Castleford Tigers | 25–24 | Leeds Rhinos | 23,246[73] | |
| 17 August 2024 |  Wigan Warriors | 20–0 |  St Helens | 2024 Magic Weekend | 30,810[74] |
 Warrington Wolves | 24–6 | Leeds Rhinos | |||
 London Broncos | 29–4 |  Hull FC | |||
| 18 August 2024 |  Leigh Leopards | 26–0 |  Salford Red Devils | 22,293[74] | |
| Hull Kingston Rovers | 36–4 |  Catalans Dragons | |||
 Huddersfield Giants | 20–12 | Castleford Tigers |
The firstChallenge Cup match at Elland Road was a home match for Holbeck on 18 March 1899.
Beyond staging home matches for Holbeck and Hunslet, Elland Road has hosted the 1982 Challenge Cup Final replay after the final at Wembley ended in a draw between Widnes and Hull FC. Challenge Cup semi-finals followed in 1983, 1984, 1985. It hosted both semi-finals in 1986 and a semi-final replay in 1988. Further semi-finals followed in 1993 and 1995.
Having left forSouth Leeds Stadium in 1995, Hunslet returned for a round 4 fixture againstBradford Bulls in 1997 due to Elland Road's higher capacity.
In 2021, Elland Road was selected to host the2022 Challenge Cup triple header on the men's semi-finals and women's final.[75]
Elland Road has also hosted four ofLeeds RhinosWorld Club Challenge matches. The results were as follows;
| Date | Winners | Score | Runners-up | Competition | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 February 2005 | Leeds Rhinos | 39–32 |  Canterbury Bulldogs | 2005 World Club Challenge[76] | 37,208 |
| 29 February 2008 | 11–4 |  Melbourne Storm | 2008 World Club Challenge[77] | 33,204 | |
| 1 March 2009 |  Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | 28–20 | Leeds Rhinos | 2009 World Club Challenge[78] | 32,569 |
| 28 February 2010 | | 18–10 | 2010 World Club Challenge | 27,697 |
* Melbourne Storm stripped of their 2010 WCC title in the wake of theirsalary cap breach.
Three rugby union matches have been played at Elland Road. The first was between theSouth Africa national rugby union team and theNorth of England rugby union team on 10 November 1992 which saw South Africa beat the North of England in front of an audience of 14,000.[1][79][80][81]
Elland Road hosted two matches of the2015 Rugby Union World Cup.[82][83]
| Date | Winners | Score | Runners-up | Competition | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 November 1992 |  South Africa | 12–27 | North of England | Test series | 14,000 |
| 26 September 2015 | Italy | 23–18 |  Canada | 2015 World Cup | 33,120 |
| 27 September 2015 | Scotland | 39–16 |  United States | 33,521 |
American football made a brief appearance at the ground when the Leeds Cougars of theBritish American Football League switched from their old ground atBramley to play at Elland Road in May 1986.[84] The following year they had to relocate because improvements to the stadium were required. The ground hosted aGaelic football match betweenDublin andMayo, organised by the Yorkshire County Board of theGaelic Athletic Association, in 1987.[85]
Elland Road was to host aTwenty20cricket game on 31 July 2009. The game was to be contested between a Leeds United International XI and the Lashings World XI,[86] however was cancelled when a suitable artificial pitch could not be found.[87]
On 23 January 2018, it was confirmed thatBoxerJosh Warrington would fight IBF world championLee Selby (26–1) in his first world title fight on 19 May.[88] On 30 January Elland Road was confirmed as the venue for the fight.[89] Josh Warrington secured a split-decision victory over Selby by thoroughly outworking him for the majority of the twelve rounds to claim the title, and hand Selby his second career loss. The match featured exLeeds United legendLucas Radebe as part of Warrington's ringwalk and bandKaiser Chiefs also played songs at the event.[90]
There was agreyhound stadium on Elland Road to the south-west of the football ground which opened on 16 July 1927. It was owned by theGreyhound Racing Association and they eventually sold it to the Totalisators and Greyhound Holdings (T.G.H) who were bought out by Ladbrokes in 1974.
In 1979, the track kennels were closed followed by the track itself on 1 March 1982.[91]
There was also aspeedway track known asFullerton Park, which operated between the twoworld wars, attracted audiences in the range of 10,000–20,000 people.[92] Fullerton Park also held greyhound racing from 1927 to 1938.
Leeds KnightsIce Hockey team play at aPlanet Ice venue to the south-west of the ground adjacent to where Elland Road passes under the Leeds-Wakefield railway line.
Older parts of the stadium were used in the 2009 filmThe Damned United, which was centred on the 44-day reign ofBrian Clough (played byMichael Sheen) at the club in 1974. Some shots of the 1974 Elland Road were shot at other locations to make the film look more in keeping with that era.[93]
Elland Road was used as a substitute for theold Wembley Stadium for scenes in the 2010 filmThe King's Speech,[94] which was nominated for 12 Oscars, three of which were for its starsColin Firth,Geoffrey Rush andHelena Bonham Carter.[95]
The ground was also featured in a 1975 episode of BBC sitcomPorridge, "Happy Release", in which prisoners Fletcher and Blanco gain revenge on a fellow prisoner, Norris, by giving him a fake treasure map before his release. The episode ends with Norris being arrested by the police after being found digging up a section of the Elland Road pitch in the middle of the night; the scenes were actually filmed at QPR'sLoftus Road ground.
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| Date | Performer(s) | Opening act(s) | Tour/event | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 May 1982 | Queen[96] | Heart[97] Joan Jett and the Blackhearts[97] The Teardrop Explodes[97] | Hot Space Tour[96] | 42,000 |
| 1 July 1987 | U2[98] | World Party[98] The Fall[98] The Mission[98] The Pretenders[98] | Joshua Tree Tour[98] | 30,000[98] |
| 1 June 1991 | Happy Mondays | The Farm Stereo MCs The La's | ||
| 24 May 2008 | Kaiser Chiefs | Kate Nash The Enemy Friendly Fires Young Knives | Off With Their Heads Tour | 35,000 |
| 3 June 2011 | Rod Stewart | Stevie Nicks | Heart & Soul Tour | |
| 8 June 2019 | Kaiser Chiefs | The Vaccines The Sherlocks Gaz Coombes Marsicans Skinny Living | Leeds United centenary celebrations | 16,000 |
In 1987, 15,000Jehovah's Witnesses held a three-dayconvention at Elland Road stadium.[85] Elland Road hosted the annual Jehovah's Witness conventions[99] until 2013 when they moved to the newFirst Direct Arena.[100]
The nearest railway station isCottingley, although fans travelling will be more likely to arrive atLeeds Station, which is approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from the stadium.[101] This is around a 35-minute walk, but taxis and buses run from outside the station to the ground. Visitors travelling by car can park in the ground's nearby car parks nearM621 junction 1 or make use of limited space in surrounding streets. On match days there are special bus services direct to and from the stadium, usually departing from Sovereign Street near Leeds Station as well as regular local bus services.
Leeds City Council have raised plans for a railway station on theWakefield Line serving Elland Road but there are no time frames since capacity issues on the Wakefield Line and funding for a new station would need addressing.[27]
In Leeds City's brief history, attendances were among the worst in the league. The club competed in the league for 15 years, from the1905–06 season until its expulsion in the1919–20 season. The club was poorly financed throughout that period. Association football was a new concept in the area, which as traditionally a rugby league region. Nonetheless, the club were, until the 2009 relegation of Luton Town, the highest-placed team not currently in the league in the all-time average attendance figures for theFootball League andPremier League. In total, 1,944,365 people attended Elland Road for all the matches played by the club, giving an average figure of 10,234.[102]
Leeds United was formed shortly after City's dissolution and entered the league in the1920–21 season. By this time, football had established itself and in its first season, the average attendance was over 16,000. As of the2021–22 season, 51,495,892 have attended all of Leeds United's matches combined, which gives an average of 25,956.[103] This figure is the 10th highest average in England.[102] The table gives a summary of the attendance figures of all Leeds United's league games in every season since the turn of the century.[103]
| Season | League | Lowest | Highest | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000–01 | Premier League | 35,552 | 40,055 | 38,974 |
| 2001–02 | 38,237 | 40,287 | 39,784 | |
| 2002–03 | 35,537 | 40,205 | 39,121 | |
| 2003–04 | 30,544 | 40,153 | 36,666 | |
| 2004–05 | Championship | 24,585 | 34,496 | 29,207 |
| 2005–06 | 18,353 | 27,843 | 22,354 | |
| 2006–07 | 16,268 | 31,269 | 21,613 | |
| 2007–08 | League One | 19,095 | 38,256 | 26,546 |
| 2008–09 | 18,847 | 37,036 | 23,813 | |
| 2009–10 | 17,635 | 38,234 | 24,817 | |
| 2010–11 | Championship | 20,747 | 33,622 | 27,299 |
| 2011–12 | 19,469 | 33,366 | 23,283 | |
| 2012–13 | 16,788 | 25,532 | 21,572 | |
| 2013–14 | 17,343 | 33,432 | 25,089 | |
| 2014–15 | 17,634 | 31,850 | 24,278 | |
| 2015–16 | 17,103 | 29,311 | 22,448 | |
| 2016–17 | 19,009 | 36,002 | 27,699 | |
| 2017–18 | 26,434 | 35,377 | 31,521 | |
| 2018–19 | 27,729 | 37,004 | 34,033 | |
| 2019–20[a] | 34,006 | 36,514 | 35,321 | |
| 2020–21[b] | Premier League | 8,000 | 8,000 | 8,000 |
| 2021–22 | 35,558 | 36,715 | 36,308 | |
| 2022–23 | 36,173 | 36,955 | 36,502 | |
| 2023–24 | Championship | 32,663 | 36,954 | 35,984 |
| 2024–25 | 34,401 | 36,804 | 36,432 |
The stadium was licensed in 2020 for EA SPORTSFIFA 21 video-game for the first time.[104]
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