Leicester, Leicestershire · Opened 2002 · Capacity 32,312
King Power Stadium
History
The King Power Stadium opened in July 2002 as the Walkers Stadium, providing Leicester City with a modern 32,000-seat home after over a century at Filbert Street, the cramped but beloved ground where the Foxes had played since 1891. The new stadium was built on a former power station site in the Bede Island area, just south of Leicester city centre, and was designed by Populous architects to create an intimate, steeply tiered bowl that kept supporters close to the action. The move was driven by the need for improved facilities and increased revenue, as the constraints of Filbert Street had become untenable for a club competing in the Premier League.
Renamed the King Power Stadium in 2011 following the acquisition of the club by Thai duty-free magnate Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and his King Power International Group, the ground became the stage for one of the most extraordinary stories in the history of sport. In the 2015-16 season, Leicester City, 5,000-1 outsiders at the start of the campaign, won the Premier League title under Claudio Ranieri, with Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez, and N'Golo Kante producing performances that defied all logic and expectation. The scenes of unbridled joy at the King Power as the title was confirmed remain among the most iconic images in Premier League history, and the stadium subsequently hosted Champions League football as Leicester reached the quarter-finals the following season.
Tragedy struck the King Power Stadium on 27 October 2018, when Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha's helicopter crashed in the stadium car park shortly after take-off following a match against West Ham United, killing the beloved owner and four others. The outpouring of grief that followed, with thousands of tributes laid outside the ground, demonstrated the profound bond between the Srivaddhanaprabha family and the Leicester community. A memorial garden outside the stadium now honours Vichai's memory and his transformative impact on the club, serving as a place of reflection for supporters and visitors alike.
The stadium's four stands — the East Stand, West Stand, Kop, and Family Stand — create an enclosed bowl that generates considerable noise when full, particularly during evening matches under floodlights. The King Power has also hosted international football and major rugby fixtures, and its central location with excellent road and rail links makes it one of the most accessible major stadiums in the Midlands. Following Leicester's relegation from the Premier League, the ground continues to serve as a proud home for a club whose recent history has encompassed the full spectrum of sporting drama, from miraculous triumph to devastating loss.