Look behind the scenes at Loftus Road
The Loftus Experience allows QPR fans to go behind the scenes and find out exclusive facts about the legendary football club.
Highlights
- Admire all the trophies in the Front Hall
- Explore all the usually inaccessible parts of the stadium, such as the Players’ Tunnel and the pitch
- See the VIP boxes and hospitality rooms
What to see and do
The tour of Queens Park Rangers Stadium takes approximately an hour and a half or the length of a football match with no extra time. Highlights include:
The Media Suite
The guided tour begins in the Media Suite, which was formerly a players bar. It was converted into a Media Suite for post-match press conferences and now also offers the chance for away managers and directors to enjoy some refreshments.
Walk through the Players’ Tunnel and out onto the Pitch
Walk through some corridors adorned with the QPR logo at every turn and inspirational full-sized murals of players in the trademark white and blue. Imagine you are a QPR player as you walk out onto the pitch and listen to the roar of the crowd.
Loftus Road is a moderately sized stadium with 18,000 seats, and the smallest capacity in the Premiership. However, this allows for a more intimate and personal feel, and, arguably, more exciting matches. It’s so small that all the noise of the supporters stays inside. The actual pitch is the same size as many other pitches, but fans are much nearer the players.
You will have the chance to sit in the seats used by home and away players – the choice is yours. This is the ideal moment for some selfies; especially if you are wearing a QPR managers’ jacket! When the stadium is empty, you can really experience the sheer scale of it.
Visit the Dressing Rooms
You will be able to walk through the dressing rooms and other areas of the stadium that supporters never get to see. These include the showers and the ice bath. You can sit down in the changing room benches and chat with your friends and family, in the same places that your idols sit when they are getting ready for a match.
Accompanying you each step of the way is a friendly and knowledgeable tour guide who will share interesting facts about the team and the way the stadium functions. You will leave filled with a new wealth of knowledge about Queens Park Rangers.
See the International Board and Trophy Cabinets
Every player who plays for QPR is included in the International Board; the only exception is players who are on loan.
The Boxes and Hospitality Areas
There are 18 boxes at Loftus Road, which are positioned twelve seats up. During the tour, you will visit one of them so you can see the pitch from the same perspective as those with the big bucks. A three-course meal can be served before or during a match.
One box was owned for a while by a man who paid for an automatic window to be installed so he could experience the atmosphere of the game as well as enjoying shelter from the weather when necessary.
Did you know: (4 interesting facts!)
- The pitch isn’t flat. All professional football pitches are higher in the middle so the water can drain away.
- In 1981, Loftus Road became the first stadium in Britain to install an artificial pitch of Omniturf. It was removed in 1988 and replaced with natural grass.
- The highest number of people that ever attended a match in Loftus Road Stadium was 35,353 during a Leeds United game on 27 April 1974. The capacity was higher as there were fewer seats and more standing spaces.
- All of the stands join with no gaps, which helps the acoustics of supporters to stay within the arena.
History
- 1904 – Shepherd’s Bush FC first used the ground.
- 1917 – Queens Park Rangers moved to Loftus Road, during the First World War, after the British Army commandeered their former ground.
- 1938 – A new covered terrace was constructed.
- 1994 – New seating was installed in the stadium.
- 17 June 2017 – Loftus Stadium hosted a special match to raise funds for the victims of the Grenfell fire; it was called ‘Game 4 Grenfell’ and many celebrities attended the event.
Facilities and accessibility
Loftus Road Stadium is wheelchair accessible. Assistant dogs are welcome.