Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire · Opened 2005 · Capacity 6,912

Pirelli Stadium

History

The Pirelli Stadium opened in 2005 as a purpose-built home for Burton Albion, replacing the club's former Eton Park ground where they had played since 1958. Named after the Italian tyre manufacturer whose factory sits adjacent to the site, the stadium represented a transformative moment for a club that had spent most of its existence in non-league football. The modern, compact ground was designed to support Burton's ambitions for Football League status.

Small but perfectly formed, the Pirelli Stadium has a capacity of 6,912 and features a clean, modern design that stands in contrast to the more characterful but aging grounds that many lower-league clubs still inhabit. The stadium was built with future expansion in mind, and while it remains one of the smallest venues in the Football League, its quality of facilities punches well above its weight for a club of Burton's size.

The ground witnessed some extraordinary moments during Burton Albion's remarkable rise through the football pyramid. The club gained promotion to the Football League in 2009, and the Pirelli Stadium subsequently hosted Championship football during the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons, an achievement that would have seemed almost inconceivable when the ground first opened. Matches against clubs like Manchester City in the League Cup drew national attention to this unassuming venue in the East Midlands.

Today, the Pirelli Stadium continues to serve as a fitting home for a club that exemplifies what can be achieved through good management and community support. Its location in Burton upon Trent, a town famous for its brewing heritage, gives the ground a distinctive local identity, and the warmth of the welcome extended to visiting supporters is frequently praised. The stadium remains a testament to the vision of those who saw beyond Burton's non-league roots.