Stadium

The King Power Stadium has been the home of Leicester City since 2002, when it replaced Filbert Street, Leicester City's first permanent home, after 108 years. Originally known as the Walkers Bowl, its name was quickly changed to the less American-sounding Walkers Stadium after fans' protest, before a takeover in 2010, led by Thai businessman Aiyawatt Raksriaksorn, eventually saw his King Power duty-free brand obtain the naming rights to the ground.


Get There:
To find out how to get to the King Power Stadium by car or public transport, type your starting address into the box below to generate some directions you can save or print.

Starting address:
These suggestions are provided by Google Maps and Of Fosse and Foxes has no responsibility for your usage or following of the directions provided by that service. Please check with National Rail Enquiries and/or relevant bus operators before travelling on public transport to be sure of services and departure/arrival times. Times are approximate and suggested routes and services may be subject to construction, delays, diversions, replacement services or cancellations.

NOTICE: Roadworks August-December 2013. Please note that there are a number of roadwork schemes taking place in the South of Leicester during the first half of the 2013/14 season and these are likely to affect access to the stadium and cause delays to your journey. Allow extra time for your journey. Details of the roadworks can be seen in the map below. It is advised that, if travelling from the SOUTH, you follow an alternative route into Leicester, using M1 J22 to access the city via the A50. See Leicestershire County Council's website for further details.

Road closures and suggested diversions, Jul-Dec 2013
Be warned that parking on match days is limited, and you should take advantage of on-street parking around Narborough Road and make use of NCP car parks in the city centre and adjacent to the Welford Road rugby ground (which is left at the traffic lights if you continue on past the King Power Stadium, following the road past the car dealerships, stationary warehouse and gym on your left).

Midlands map indicating key routes to and from Leicester
Map of Leicester showing key routes into and out of the city

Fact File:
Built: June 2001-July 2002
Opened: 23rd July 2002 (as Walkers Stadium)
Renamed: 5th July 2011 (as King Power Stadium)

Capacity:
32,262 (all-seated)
Opened as 32,500 before segregation and alterations

Record Attendances:
32,188 vs. Real Madrid (Friendly, 2011)
32,148 vs. Newcastle United (Premier League, 2003)

Field: 110 x 76 yards (100.6 x 69.4 metres)

Stadium Address:
Leicester City Football Club,
Filbert Way,
Leicester.
LE2 7FL.

Switchboard:
0844 815 6000

Background:
Due to increasing popularity in the club following recent successes under Martin O'Neill, every game at Filbert Street was selling-out. The North and East stands were prevented from expansion due to housing backing-onto the structures, and the turnstiles even being through entrances between two houses on Burnmoor Street. Whilst the £5.4 million Carling Stand, opened in 1993, added 9,500 seats to the ground, by 2001 the club were thinking of moving to a new home. The inital proposal for a new stadium came to fruition during the reign of Peter Taylor, with a 40,000-seater complex on Bede Island, across the river from Filbert Street, rejected before the plans for a new stadium on the current site were proposed.

Using the site of an old power station just a stone's throw from Filbert Street, a new 32,500-capacity bowl-style stadium was built to a cost of £37 million on Freeman's Wharf, with Filbert Street stadium since demolished for student housing.

Opened by City legend Gary Lineker in July 2002, the stadium was originally named "The Walkers Bowl", but after fans' criticism of an overly American name, this was soon changed to the Walkers Stadium.

The first game was held on 4th August, a friendly against Athletic Bilbao which finished in a 1-1 draw. This lead to Bilbao's Tiko having the honour of netting the first goal at the Walkers, the equaliser and Leicester's first at their new home being scored by Jordan Stewart. A week later, in the first competitive game, the Foxes triumphed 2-0 over Watford.

The Walkers Stadium played host to some of the world's top footballers in Premier League matches and internationals. Brazil, Ghana and Jamaica are amongst international sides to have played at Filbert Way, whilst England played an international friendly against Serbia and Montenegro at the ground in 2003. The Leicester Tigers rugby team have also played some of their most important games of recent years at the ground, notably European cup semi-finals, with a ground-share proposal rejected before the commencement of building work to extend the capacity of their nearby Welford Road ground in 2009.

In the summer of 2010 - following a takeover of the club led by Thai businessman Aiyawatt Raksriaksorn - his duty-free company, King Power, became the club's new shirt sponsors. In a widely anticipated deal, the brand spread around the club until the Walkers Stadium was renamed as the King Power Stadium in July the following year.

Admission:
The cheapest ticket prices are in the 'Just the Ticket' areas of the West Stand, but for a full adult ticket are in excess of £28. Under 8s are admitted free with a full-paying adult in the family stand and prices are stepped through Child, Student/Under-22s and Senior Citizens categories up to full adult prices. Tickets are £2 more expensive if purchased on the day of the game as opposed to online or through the City Sales Centre. Typical away ticketing is priced as follows, but is subject to change on a game-by-game basis.

  Adt Snr U22 U18 U12 U8
Visitors £28 £25 £25 £18 £9 £7

Tickets are available to buy online at lcfcdirect.com or by phone on 0844 815 5000.


Plan of the King Power Stadium including key visitor locations
King Power Stadium seating plan (source: club website)