After the season ended, Leeds United began work on the Elland Road project. The 49ers have already invested a lot into it, and serious work will go on during this summer break.
The West Stand will be improved ahead of the new season; planning permission was granted earlier this year.
Leeds aim to make Elland Road into a UEFA Category 4 stadium in the near future.
An additional 15,000 seats are set to be added to increase the stadium capacity to to around 53,000.
This summer is the first of a two-stand development proposal as the ownership aim to expand Elland Road in the near future. £150 million has been invested so far in the project and the current timeline is 2030.
Work on the stadium will only take place during the offseason and international breaks.
Leeds will be using Elland Road throughout next season.
Leeds United make request to Premier League over Elland Road development
A lot of work has been done at Elland Road since Leeds United’s final home game against Brighton.
The floodlights have been removed and the banqueting suite has been knocked down. The old ticket office and LUTV studio have been also demolished as work continues on the West Stand.
This week has seen Leeds make a request to the Premier League to begin the 2026/27 season away from home.
This will allow the club to maximize the time to continue work without supporters in that area of the ground.
Leeds will begin their season away from home to Nottingham Forest. This will give the club an extra week before supporters return to Elland Road for the first home game against Brentford on August 29.
The YEP are also reporting that work being done at Elland Road means the West Stand will be closed during pre-season friendlies this summer.
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Project not expected to cost the club on the pitch
Some Leeds United fans will be curious if this investment will affect matters on the pitch.
Adam Pope recently confirmed that the Elland Road project will not affect the club’s transfer plans in any way. With the introduction of the new Squad Cost Ratio (SCR) rules, only a fraction of revenue can be spent on transfers.
This admittedly reduces the 49ers’ spending powers a bit, but the owners have always been ambitious.
And looking at their reported targets going into the summer window, it is clear that the club are ready to spend to improve the team.
