Leeds reclaim full ownership of Elland Road

LEEDS, ENGLAND - JANUARY 21: A general view (GV) of Elland Road as a faint ranbow appears during the Sky Bet Championship match between Leeds United and Preston North End at Elland Road on January 21, 2024 in Leeds, England. (Photo by Daniel Chesterton/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
By Nancy Froston
Jul 10, 2024

Leeds United have announced that ownership of Elland Road has been transferred back to the club for the first time since 2004.

It remains an Asset of Community Value (ACV) and is once again under the control of Leeds’, who have called it their home stadium since 1919.

The 37,000-seater ground was sold in 2004 during Leeds’ financial difficulties and has been owned by various companies since. It was first bought by the British Virgin Islands-based Teak Trading Corporation before being sold to Greenfield Investment Pte Ltd — a company controlled by former Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani — for £20million ($25.6m) in 2017.

In December 2020, ownership of the stadium was transferred to a new parent company, Elland Road Limited. Both that business and Leeds United Football Club Limited passed into the ownership of 49ers Enterprises when the current owners assumed control in July 2023.

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The Elland Road Limited company was transferred to Leeds United Football Club Limited in March 2024, making the club now full owners of the stadium.

A number of internal and external improvements were made to Elland Road in 2017 under Radrizzani’s ownership of Leeds, although further development of the ground has long been a topic of discussion for fans.

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“While this may seem like only a subtle change in corporate structure, I know that our supporters will understand its broader significance in signalling our ownership’s intent that Leeds United and Elland Road should always be inextricably bound,” Leeds chief executive Angus Kinnear said on Wednesday.

Elland Road was granted status as an ACV by Leeds City Council in 2017 and had its status renewed in 2023. It means that, among other privileges, if the stadium and its surrounding land were ever put up for sale, the community would have the right to bid for it.

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(Daniel Chesterton/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)

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Nancy Froston

Nancy Froston is The Athletic's Leeds United writer. She previously reported on the EFL covering the Championship, League One and League Two as well as a three year spell writing about Sheffield Wednesday. Follow Nancy on Twitter @nancyfroston