Luton Town FC stadium: will Hatters play home matches at Kenilworth Road if promoted to Premier League?

Luton Town take on Coventry City in the Championship play-off final
Luton Town's Kenilworth Road is one of the oldest in English football. (Getty Images)Luton Town's Kenilworth Road is one of the oldest in English football. (Getty Images)
Luton Town's Kenilworth Road is one of the oldest in English football. (Getty Images)

Luton Town have treated fans to a number of memorable moments in recent years at their home stadium Kenilworth Road.

The Hatters have enjoyed a meteoric rise up the football pyramid in the last decade - they were a fifth tier club as recently as 2014, but they are now just one win away from the promised land of the Premier League.

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Promotion to the top-flight offers a range of financial incentives for the Bedfordshire club such as sponsorship, revenue and TV money, but it also brings the inevitable focus to the stadium Kenilworth Road.

Kenilworth Road is one of the oldest stadiums in English football but it is undoubtedly highly dated and the club has long been planning to move to a new venue.

Kenilworth Road could become the smallest venue in Premier League football if Luton are promoted but how big is the stadium and why are The Hatters looking to relocate in the near future?

How big is Luton Town’s stadium?

Kenilworth Road has a capacity of just 10,356 which would make it the Premier League’s smallest ever ground. The record for the smallest stadium is currently held by AFC Bournemouth’s Vitality Stadium which holds 11,379 seats.

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Prior to Bournemouth’s arrival in the Premier League in 2015 the smallest stadium in English football history had been Oldham Athletic Boundary Park which has a maximum capacity of 13,559.

Why Luton Town want to leave Kenilworth Road

Luton Town have played their home games at Kenilworth Road since 1905. The venue is a classic stadium which is tightly wedged between terraced houses and it is viewed by many fans as a throwback to a bygone era of football.

Kenilworth Road is known for its unconventional away entrance. (Getty Images)Kenilworth Road is known for its unconventional away entrance. (Getty Images)
Kenilworth Road is known for its unconventional away entrance. (Getty Images)

Kenilworth Road is known for its unconventional away entrance which sees visitors pass through a tight corridor before climbing staircases which overlook the gardens of neighbouring properties.

The stadium has huge sentimental value and it is very popular with a number of supporters across the country, but it is no longer fit for purpose and it currently fails to meet the Premier League’s broadcasting and facility requirements.

Are Luton Town moving grounds?

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Luton Town’s chief executive Gary Sweet has confirmed the club are planning to build a 23,000 stadium, known as Power Court, in the near future.

The Hatters have opted not to join the many clubs which have moved to out-of-town stadiums and the ground is set to be situated just 1.6km away on a site which is even closer to the town centre than the current stadium.

Talks of a move have been a long time coming and the club has been planning to replace Kenilworth Road since 1955.

The club and developers 2020 Developments first lodged plans for a new stadium in August 2016 and the proposal sees the venue built on the site of a former power station.

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Permission for the new ground was granted in January 2020 and The Power Court stadium was expected to be complete by 2023. However, this £100 million project was delayed due to economic pressures and the coronavirus pandemic.

Will Kenilworth Road be used in the Premier League?

Luton Town’s owners say that Kenilworth Road will be used in the Premier League if the club are to achieve promotion next season but it would come at an immediate cost of around £10 million.

Most of the club's Bobbers Stand would need to be rebuilt if the club are to achieve promotion. 

Gary Sweet wrote in the programme notes on the club’s last home game of the season: “Like it or not, Kenilworth Road is real life, proper old school football and it should be embraced or scorned upon at your peril.”

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