Leeds United is opening Elland Road to supporters for an abseil on Saturday 20th June, with money raised going to the Leeds United Foundation and a last chance to take in the West Stand before it is redeveloped.
The timing gives the event an edge beyond the fundraising itself. It falls the day before Father’s Day, which may help draw families looking for something different to do together, but the club is also asking supporters to treat it as a way to back the work it does across Leeds and beyond.
Fans can take part in two ways. They can buy an entry outright for £100, with no fundraising required, or pay a £25 registration fee and commit to raising at least £100. Leeds said its fundraising team will help participants gather sponsorship, making the challenge more accessible for people who want to sign up but are not sure where to start.
There is a reward for those who go further. The highest fundraiser will receive a squad-signed Leeds United shirt, while the runner-up will win a pair of tickets to a home game next season. That makes the event part fundraiser, part once-in-a-while chance to step into one of the club’s most familiar spaces before the West Stand changes for good.
The foundation says the money is key to its work in the local area. Its programmes focus on education, sport and healthier lifestyles, and are built around using the power of football and Leeds United to improve lives across the region and beyond. The club also says the abseil is being supported by Burflex, Big Bang Experiences and Creator.
Elland Road has already become the setting for a different kind of countdown, with supporters able to turn a charity challenge into a final look at the West Stand before redevelopment begins. For anyone interested in taking part, the club is taking sign-ups now, and the question is less whether there will be demand than how quickly the available places go.
