Derby County

Derby County FC plays at Pride Park Stadium, located in the Pride Park business and retail district of Derby, opened in July 1997 with a capacity of 33,597 spectators. The stadium replaced the Baseball Ground which had served Derby since 1895, and was built as a modern, purpose-designed football arena that quickly established itself as one of England's better Championship venues. Pride Park's four covered stands, good sight lines, and relatively large capacity for an East Midlands club give it a feel appropriate for a club with Derby County's history and supporter base. The stadium was designed with the aim of creating a significant landmark for Derby's regeneration.

Pride Park has hosted Premier League football for most of its existence, as Derby spent extended periods in the top flight during the late 1990s and 2000s. The club's most celebrated recent achievement — reaching the Premier League play-off final in 2019, losing to Aston Villa — was supported by tremendous passion from the Derby fanbase both at Pride Park and at Wembley. The stadium has also witnessed the club's profound difficulties: Derby County entered administration in 2021, were relegated from the Championship with a record points deduction, and faced an existential crisis before new ownership stabilised the club and enabled their gradual recovery back through the divisions.

Pride Park's scale — over 33,000 capacity — gives it a grandeur somewhat beyond the typical Championship ground, and when Derby are performing well, the stadium fills impressively and generates a formidable home atmosphere. The club's eventual return to the Championship was celebrated with great enthusiasm in Derby, a city with deep football pride and a passionate East Midlands identity. The stadium's location in Pride Park, adjacent to Derby's railway station and close to the city centre, makes it well-connected and accessible. As Derby County rebuilds under their new ownership, Pride Park Stadium provides a quality base from which to pursue the ambition of returning to the Premier League.