Loftus Road Stadium

An attic (UK) is like a loft (US), and this stadium is designed to look like a loft (US) hence the name.
First-​Hand Experience: More info about my personal experience at this stadium — I’ve actually only ben to this stadium 3 times (or about 10 if you count visiting the outside of it). It’s absolutely tiny inside! You’d never imagine it’s a Premier League stadium. It is pretty modern and enjoyable on the inside though. The rich owners have jazzed it up and made it like a posh little box.
The crowd is absolutely intense and right on top of the field and I always feel like part of the action when I’m in here. Definitely one of the better stadiums, but the prices and the small size are the reason it’s a 4.
I’ve been to every significant stadium in UK & US, due to a lifelong obsession with travel, sport & especially footy (soccer to Americans). Born & raised in England, I followed Oxford United (hometown team) to stadia all over the country at away games, and later followed Liverpool (fave team) around. Every stadium review — like all my reviews — are based on first-​hand personal experience, usually from multiple visits. In 2011, I was on music tour in the UK, visiting hundreds of stadiums for fun in my spare time. As recently as Fall 2014, when I was «stuck» in UK for 3 months, I went to most of them yet again while travelling. I have pictures of me at many of them, which I will post later. Also, when back in the UK I plan to take more pix, and add more stadia! So watch this space!
*** return to regular review ***
It’s a little rich club with a little rabid stadium in West London. I can’t give this stadium less than a 4 because it’s so loud and intense and the crowd are right on top of the players, but there’s no way such a tiny stadium can get a 5 for a club that should really have a bigger and grander stadium.
It looks like they won’t be in the Prem much longer anyway (they never usually are), but if the club won’t be missed (too many London clubs, esp West London), then the stadium will and its atmosphere too.
It’s in White City, a great part of London that is maybe a little racially monotonous. It’s just near Shepherd’s Bush. I think maybe he should shave it off.
It opened in 1904, and Fulham briefly played here in the 00s.

Great ground great supporters you Rs! Come on you supa!

Nice Place 2 see football at its best.
Great stadium down town between houseblocks. Must see!

A nice club a good for its atmosphere

Queens Park Rangers are back in the Premier League this season after a lengthy spell in the lower divisions of English football.
In the spring of 2002, when I was doing a semester abroad in London, I did a work study (internship) at QPR. At the time, they were in the Second Division (third tier). I had hear of QPR but didn’t know much about the club. But my time there made me a fan and I’m proud to be a supporter of the R’s. Now that they’re back in the top flight, I had a perfect excuse to head back over the pond for a visit and to take in a Premiership match.
Loftus Road Stadium is definitely a throw-​back to the more modest days of the sport. Compared to Arsenal’s new Emirates Stadium (review here:
), Loftus Road is like a backyard shed. It’s old, not at all modern, and for a Premier League ground, quite small. But it also has immense character, is very intimate, and incredibly approachable.
One of the great things about the smaller clubs is how accessible the players are as well. If you get to Loftus Road early you can catch many of the players walking from the player parking lot into the stadium, and most of them are happy to stop to sign an autograph or snap a quick photo with you. Try doing that at Manchester United or Chelsea!
QPR is a fantastic little club with an incredible history. Hopefully they’ll be in the top flight for years to come. Which means I better start saving up now for what I hope can be an annual pilgrimage.

Die Loftus Road ist ein mit 19.000 Sitzplätzen recht kleines Stadion, das vor allem durch seine Kompaktheit punktet.
Die Zuschauer sind sehr nah am Spielfeld, da keine Laufbahn vorhanden ist und dieser Effekt wird noch dadurch verstärkt, dass 3 von 4 Tribünen zweirangig sind.
Zwar ist das Stadion schon in die Jahre gekommen, so ist dennoch die Kompaktheit einmalig und somit ist auch ein Besuch in jedem Fall gerechtfertigt.

Firstly, I am not writing this as a fan of QPR but as a fan of football. I have been to this stadium on a number of occasions, although I have not been there since the end of the ²⁰⁰⁶⁄₀₇ season so if there have been any refurbs or changes since then, I cannot comment, and I am basing my review on what I experienced.
The away fans sit in The School End which is a two-​tier section at one goal end. The home fans occupy the rest of the stadium, although the most rowdy fans can be found in blocks R and Qu, so if you want some fun, sit there!
The stewards don’t let you get away with much there, and they’re quick to act/​throw you out, so you do have to behave reasonably well.
There are plenty of kiosks dotted around, charging standard prices but their chips are especially nice! There are no smoking areas or pass outs available though so beware of this as it’s strictly enforced.
There are programmes on sale for £3 and there’s also the official club shop at the front of the ground; on South Africa Road itself. You can often buy tickets on the day, from the box offices on South Africa Road, and there is Hospitality available at extra cost.
The nearest tube is White City, with Shepherds Bush about a 10 – 15 minute walk. There are some buses around but it’s best to go to Shepherds Bush Green for them.

Loftus Road is a really good Stadium. It’s very compact, very contained– which I really like. The style of Stadium suits the style of club; small and family orientated.
I tend to enjoy watching games at QPR; the pitch is small and the action always seems to be fast paced. You might say that’s the players and not the Stadium, but I do tend to thing Stadia and atmosphere have an effect on what happens on the pitch.
If the fans are into it and at their loud, passionate best; Loftus Road has the potential to be a fortress. But at the same time, when the fans are quiet it can seem kind of ghostly; and it makes all the more sense why QPR’s performances on the pitch at home can be baffling.
All in all, a lovely little stadium which hasn’t changed much in years. As more and more clubs build new stands or giant corporate sponsored bore-​bowls; it’s good to still see traditional football venues like this. The only problem now, I fear, is that there billionaire owners will be knocking it down and replacing it with a Tesco Sponsored 80,000 seater or something to that effect.

Pretty rubbish stadium considering Rangers are now the richest club in the world. it’s uninspiring but I’m sure things will change soon! The atmosphere can be great in here, QPR tend to always attract a massive crowd which was evident even when they were in League 1.
If you want to really get into it, try and get a seat in the Q, P or R blocks (it’s all in the name!).
Transport links are really good these days since the arrival of Westfield, lots of tube links on different lines are easily accessible.

Some of the views on the away end are terrible. Been sat the the back of the lower tier before and had views of the pitch obstructed. On another trip I ended up on the front row of the top tier which was a great view.
Took a while to find a pub before as we went to one, then got turned away and sent to another but we eventually found one.
Pretty average inside price wise on food.

Now as everyone knows, football is a sport that everyone has a different opinion on who is best and who you should support etc. Well I met this guy the other day called Flavio Briatori and he told me that Qpr are the best. So forget any other team and get on down to QPR for a nice family day out and 90 mins of entertainment for just £25 per person.
Owned by some of the richest people in the world, it is only a matter of time before this team is elevated to the top tier of English football and then maybe even Europe’s elite will come up against them.
A friendly and accessible football team with good transport links and many good places to eat before or after the game.
Go on, you know you want to…

Loftus Road is one of my least favourite Championship grounds.
Whilst being a traditional stadium, the facilities for away fans are nothing to write home about.
If you are unlucky enough to end up towards the back of the lower tier, the ceiling will obstruct your view of parts of the pitch.
In my previous experience, it can be very slow getting through the away turnstyles, so make sure you are there in plenty of time!

Home of London’s up and coming football team. A small, compact stadium that is slowly being redeveloped and should hopefully have significantly improved facilities in the near future.
One downside is that the seats are rather cramped and a lot of them have restricted views. QPR may eventually have to relocate to a new stadium but it will hopefully be in the same area.

Ich war im Dezember 2008 dort, zum Spiel QPR gegen Crystal Palace.
Wir sind durch London gelaufen, haben im Pub was gegessen und getrunken, so ein richtig britischer Fußball Abend also.
Mich hat die Lage des Stadions so fasziniert. Wirklich mitten im Wohngebiet. Also, wenn Du da wohnst, kuckst Du aus dem Fenster zum Nachbarn, und der Nachbar ist QPR und wohnt im Stadion oder so. Echt klasse.
Innen drin echter Beton, und auch schön eng, dann die Tribüné mit wirklich gutem Blick, und das die Athmosphäre toll war brauche ich glaube nicht extra anführen.
Zum Spiel selber: Kick and Rush, Ball war mehr in der Luft als ihm gut tat, Crystal Palace hat 1:2 gewonnen.
Ich will hier nicht den britischen Football beschreiben oder kritisieren, aber irgendwie hab ich die bei der EM 2008 vermißt breitgrins

The richest club in English football, currently proof money in the bank does not ensure success on the pitch. The home of Queens Park Rangers, Loftus Road is often used for Internationals for African and Australian national team friendlies. This is because of its locality and because a small crowd close to the pitch makes for a better atmosphere than a half empty huge staduim.
Personally, I have always found Loftus Road a nightmare to get to/​out and Shepherds Bush a bit busy for a pre/​after game drink. Although tucked behind houses, there is a quirky appeal for this very odd ground. Not the best place to watch a game in the capitial, but rather central, cheaper than the Premier League meaning tickets often available on the door at the last minute and definatly one to try if you want to expereince being close (if not on top of) to the pitch.

Due to the team’s stunning lack of success mixed with a healthy amount of relegation misery, you could be fooled in to believing a trip to Loftus Road could be a depressing day out. However, somehow the excitable fans, the tightly-​packed atmosphere inside the stadium and, occasionally, the football all add up to make one of the truly unique sporting experiences offered in London. The QPR crowd generally consists of knowledgeable die-​hards and families, and prices stay just the right side of too much. A recent investment by some of the business world’s richest men might see the end of the days of affordable football viewing in Shepherds Bush, however, so make your trip soon.

Queens park rangers football club in my opinion is the ultimate family club. As you walk down loftus road on a match day, fathers and sons, family and friends, woman and children are all seen smiling and looking forward to a good day out. With a chip shop, pub, newsagents, clubshop and match day stalls, theres plenty of things to keep you occupied before kick off. Once you get inside the ground the atmosphere speaks for it’s self. 15 thousand people smiling and cheering creates a real buzz that some people have never experienced. At half time go to the numerous food stalls for something to eat or for a drink in the bar. After the game feel safe as the numerous police outside the ground will see to your safety.