Exciting changes are on the horizon for Elland Road. Leeds United announced Monday that they will increase the stadium’s capacity as part of their upgrade plans. Moreover, one television presenter is enthusiastic about the club’s direction.
With the club now in control of Elland Road, Leeds has unveiled its vision for the stadium’s future. Here’s what they announced on Monday:
- They aim to modernize the stadium and increase its capacity from 37,645 to around 53,000 seats.
- There will be a significant boost in general admission seating. It will position Elland Road as the seventh-largest club stadium in the country.
- A key focus of the architectural design will be to maintain and enhance the unique atmosphere that fans cherish.
- Construction will start out in phases to minimize the loss of seating capacity during the project.
- The goal is to upgrade Elland Road to UEFA Category 4 status, which would place it among the elite European stadiums.
- An expert team has been assembled, blending global stadium experience with local expertise, to create artist’s impressions and prepare the planning submission.
Jim White is excited about Leeds’ future
With changes incoming for the Whites, talkSPORT’s Jim White shared his thoughts on where this is all going for Leeds. White notes that off the pitch, the club is moving in the right direction and states that on the pitch, the club needs to follow suit, which means earning promotion to the Premier League.
“Leeds United, off the field of play have massive plans, going from a capacity of 37,645 to 53,000 fans,” White said (h/t MOT Leeds News). “Paraag Marathe, chairman of Leeds United and president of the club’s owners, the 49ers, says – ‘we recognize how important Elland Road is to the Leeds United fans and the wider community. We look forward to sharing our plans with fans and the local community for their input’. All seems to be going in the right direction for Leeds, but Leeds now need to go in the right direction.”
Leeds’ new majority owners, 49ers Enterprise, bring valuable experience in stadium projects, having successfully opened Levi’s Stadium for their NFL team, the San Francisco 49ers. It’ll be interesting to see how they approach this new venture with the club.
