Leicester City is a club in a confusing situation at the moment. After a profit and sustainability debacle, which the Foxes appear to have won, they appear to have a clear run at Premier League survival. But a clear run is no guarantee, as many newly promoted teams often find.
There are talks of a possible King Power Stadium expansion on the horizon. If the Foxes were able to avoid relegation from the Premier League this season, that would be very beneficial to the club's future.
What is the King Power Stadium like now?
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With a current capacity of 32,261, the King Power Stadium is relatively new compared to the vast majority of grounds in the country, which opened in 2002. But, despite being incredibly modern, it pays homage to the club's previous home, Filbert Street, sharing minor similarities in architectural style.
The ground has European pedigree, having hosted Champions League nights after Leicester qualified for the competition following their shock Premier League triumph in 2016.
It is a truly magnificent stadium, and if you wish to watch Leicester City in action live at the venue, check out our guide on how to buy Leicester City 2024/25 Premier League tickets.
Why do Leicester want to expand King Power?
As in almost every example of stadium renovation, the main reason behind the potential King Power Stadium expansion is for financial gain and securing a better future for the club in question.
Leicester City is no different, with a statement on the Foxes' official website reading: “Expanding King Power Stadium to a capacity of around 40,000 seats and improving the visitor experience with a better hospitality and food and drink offering will create an iconic Midlands destination with far-reaching benefits for the Leicester economy.”
Amid the recent discourse regarding profit and sustainability at the club, the increased revenue could also help Leicester navigate their way through a potentially tricky period, although, it could also make it harder for the club to raise the funds needed for such development.
What are the King Power Stadium expansion plans?
The club explained that the King Power Stadium expansion, which will focus on adding 8,000 seats to the ground's East Stand, is “intrinsically linked” to a wider strategy that will improve the success rate for both projects.
The so-called ‘masterplan' will see a whole host of developments made both at the stadium itself and in the surrounding areas, including the construction of:
- A fanzone
- A brand-new on-site 220-room hotel and business facility
- New residential tower
- A south-West Pavilion
- Car park and cycle hub
- Flagship fan store
King Power Stadium expansion: The East Stand
However, the potential expansion of the East Stand remains the highlight of those developments and is likely the project that will excite supporters the most.
An additional 8,000 seats in that section of the ground would see the stadium's capacity increase to a massive 40,000 – comparative in size to the likes of Chelsea's Stamford Bridge.
To achieve this, the club are planning to install an upper tier in this stand, which will extend behind the current structure and allow for corporate and hospitality boxes to be built between the two tiers. Given the bowl-like design of the King Power, this expansion will also stretch into the eastern corners of the North and South Stands too.
Leicester City receive planning permission from City Council
We are pleased to confirm that the hybrid planning application for the development of King Power Stadium and the surrounding site has now received formal approval from Leicester City Council ⤵️
— Leicester City (@LCFC) December 14, 2023
Having first submitted plans for the expansion in 2021, getting their project approved by the City Council was a potentially huge hurdle that would need to be overcome before any work could be started. However, in December 2023, Leicester City received that approval – a huge boost in their King Power Stadium expansion plans.
An official statement from the Foxes read: “Leicester City Football Club is pleased to confirm that its hybrid planning application for the development of the King Power Stadium and surrounding site has now received formal approval from Leicester City Council, following the Council planning committee’s initial approval in September 2022.
“This final decision had been held pending the finalisation of a Section 106 agreement in relation to the proposed development, which has now been concluded.”
That is a massive step for the club, and it now appears a matter of when, not if, work on the King Power Stadium expansion and wider ‘masterplan' begins.