King Power Stadium (also known as Leicester City Stadium due to UEFA sponsorship regulations and formerly known as Walkers Stadium) is a football stadium in Leicester, England. It has been the home of Premier League club Leicester City since 2002 and has a total seating capacity of 32,261. Since 2021 the stadium has also been the main home of Leicester City Women.
Built In: | 2002 |
Capacity: | 32,261 |
Home Teams: | Leicester City |
Ground Size: | 105 by 68 meters |
King Power Stadium History
Background and construction
Leicester’s previous stadium was in nearby Filbert Street, which had been their home since 1891. It was gradually improved during the 20th century and with the advent of the Taylor Report in January 1990 which required all clubs in the top two divisions to They had stadiums for all seats. In August 1994, Leicester City directors began looking into building a new stadium in the early 1990s but decided to take the redevelopment option by building a new stand on one side of Filbert Street and placing seats in the areas standing remaining, giving the stadium a 21,500-seat capacity for the 1994-1995 season.
Filbert Street’s conversion to a stadium for all coincided with their promotion to the Premier League after a seven-year exile from the top flight, and with their relegation after just one season, it seemed the capacity of 21,500 would be suitable.
However, success in the late 1990s saw crowds swell, meaning virtually every ride on Filbert Street was sold out by the end of the decade. The relocation was soon back on the cards; several clubs had moved to new stadiums around this time, including Leicester’s central rivals Stoke City and Derby County.
Parts of the ground, notably the east and north stands, were also a bit outdated, leading manager Martin O’Neill to joke that when he showed the new signings Filbert Street he led them backward out of the tunnel of players to avoid so they don’t see the east stand.
Plans for a 40,000-seat stadium to be built on Bede Island South in time for the 2000–01 season were announced in early 1998 but dropped on January 5, 2000. Chairman John Elsom promised other options, including relocation to another site or even further redevelopment of Filbert Street would be considered, with the hope that either option would have materialized by August 2002.
The relocation option was soon resolved, as plans were unveiled on 2 November 2000 for a 32,000-seat stadium at nearby Freeman’s Wharf, with 2003-04 being the expected completion date, although it was suggested at the time. in which the relocation could occur at the beginning. of the 2002-03 season. Work on the stadium began in the summer of 2001 and on October 10 of that year, it was confirmed that the new stadium would be ready for the 2002–03 season.
The stadium was completed on time in the summer of 2002, ready for Leicester to settle in for the start of the 2002–03 season. However, it was not an easy start at their new stadium, having just been relegated from the Premier League and over £30m in debt. The stadium is believed to have cost around £37 million to build. The overall record stadium attendance is believed to be between 32,488 and 32,500, for a rugby match between Leicester Tigers and Bath in 2006. This rugby match took place before the seats were removed to separate the fans from the rival football, which reduces the capacity. of the ground from exactly 32,500 to 32,261.
Opening
The stadium was officially opened by former Leicester striker Gary Lineker on 23 July 2002. He used a giant pair of scissors to cut a ribbon on the pitch after arriving at the stadium in a Walkers truck. The first match at the new stadium was a friendly against Basque team Athletic Bilbao on 4 August 2002. The match ended 1–1, with Tiko scoring the first goal at the stadium and Jordan Stewart scoring Leicester’s first goal. . The attendance was approximately 24,000 (an official figure was not recorded due to a computer glitch). The first competitive match took place six days later and Leicester beat Watford 2–0 in front of a nearly sellout crowd of 31,022.
Stadium Capacity
King Power Stadium has a seating capacity of 32,261.
King Power Stadium Seating Plan
The stadium has a capacity of 32,312 seats. The seating plan for the King Power Stadium includes several sections, including the Family Stand, the East Stand, the West Stand, and the South Stand.
The Family Stand is located in the East Stand and is designated for families with young children. The East Stand also contains the Foxes Bar and the Directors Box.
The West Stand is the main stand and contains the player’s tunnel, dugouts and the press box. The stand also features the Foxes Bar and the 1884 Lounge.
The South Stand is the largest stand of the stadium, commonly known as the “Kop” and is home to the club’s most vocal supporters, the Foxes Trust and the Foxes Foundation.
The North Stand is the smallest stand of the stadium, where you can find the club’s main office, the club shop and the Tunnel Club.
Notable Events & Records
The stadium has been the home of the club since 2002, and it has seen some notable achievements and records set by the club during this time.
- Record Attendance: 32,242 during a match against Sunderland on August 8, 2015
- Biggest Win: 8-0 against Southampton on October 25, 2019
- Biggest Defeat: 0-4 against Liverpool on December 26, 2018
- Most goals scored in a season: 85 in the 2015-2016 season (Premier League Champions)
- Most points in a season: 93 in the 2015-2016 season (Premier League Champions)
- Most clean sheets in a season: 18 in the 2015-2016 season (Premier League Champions)
Upcoming Events
Not Yet.
Parking
King Power Car Park A and B are directly next to the stadium and go for £18 a spot.