Leicester City have delivered a huge statement of intent just one day before their League One clash against Burton Albion unveiling a historic fan ownership scheme that hands power back to the King Power Stadium faithful as the club begins a new era under manager Russell Martin.
The announcement comes with just hours to go until Leicester’s upcoming fixture at the King Power Stadium tomorrow, with excitement building across the East Midlands despite the club’s dramatic fall from grace.
Just 10 years after their fairytale Premier League title triumph, Leicester are playing in English football’s third tier for only the second time in their history this season, following back-to-back relegations from the Premier League in 2025 and the Championship in 2026. A six-point deduction last season for breaching the Football League’s profit and sustainability rules sparked their slump into League One.
In a move that has sent shockwaves through English football, the club announced “The Foxes Share” a groundbreaking initiative granting supporters binding voting rights on key club decisions, effective immediately.
The announcement makes Leicester the first club in the EFL to voluntarily cede decision-making power to its fanbase a bold statement of ambition as the club begins a major rebuild under Martin, even as reports emerge that the club’s Thai owners have put the club up for sale.
WHAT THE SCHEME MEANS FOR SUPPORTERS
Under the new initiative, which takes immediate effect:
· A Fan Advisory Board of three elected supporters will attend quarterly board meetings and hold binding votes on non-football operational matters, including.
· Ticket pricing structures for domestic and cup fixtures
· Final approval of annual kit designs
· Community investment and charity partnerships
· A £2 million ring-fenced fund, drawn from the club’s commercial revenue, will be placed under fan-led management to finance community projects across Leicestershire.
The scheme will be formally ratified during tomorrow’s League One clash against Burton Albion at the King Power Stadium, where a giant screen message will address the Foxes faithful
An excited Russell Martin, speaking just one day before the match, described the announcement as the perfect way to build momentum.
“This is a new dawn for Leicester City Football Club,” Martin said.
“We’ve had a difficult few years, but now we’re taking this huge step forward. Our fans are the heartbeat of this club, and giving them a genuine voice in how we move forward is exactly what this great club deserves. This is just the beginning.”
Martin, who took charge of Leicester earlier this summer on a contract running until 2029, is understood to have been fully behind the proposal from the moment it was presented to him.
“I know what this club means to people,” Martin added.
“This isn’t just about one season. This is about building something that will last. And having the fans alongside us, with a real seat at the table, makes that vision even stronger. Tomorrow, we start that journey together.”
Martin’s most notable managerial achievement came at Southampton, where he guided the club back to the Premier League during the 2023/24 season after overseeing a club-record 25-match unbeaten run. He now faces arguably the biggest challenge of his career rebuilding Leicester from League One.
Chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha framed the decision as a defining moment for the club’s future, even as reports emerge that the Thai owners have put the club up for sale.
“This is a historic day for Leicester City Football Club,” Srivaddhanaprabha said.
“We have made mistakes, and I should shoulder the blame for our predicament. But the structure will change, and today we take a huge step forward by giving our fans a formal role in shaping our future not as spectators, but as partners. Tomorrow, as we face Burton Albion, this new chapter truly begins.”
King Power, run by the Srivaddhanaprabha family, bought Leicester in a £35 million deal in 2010. Aiyawatt took over as chairman following the death of his father Vichai in a helicopter crash outside the King Power Stadium in 2019. Reports suggest the club’s assets have been listed at more than £200 million as the family seek a buyer.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the club’s ownership, this announcement signals a commitment to ensuring fans have a voice regardless of who owns the club in the future.
A SUMMER OF CHANGE AT THE KING POWER
The announcement comes after a significant summer of change at Leicester, with Russell Martin overseeing one of the biggest rebuilding jobs in English football.
Key signings so far include:
· Conor Chaplin — Ipswich Town (Free)
· Alex McCarthy — Southampton (Free)
· Christian McFarlane — Manchester City (Loan)
· Liam Cullen — Swansea City (Undisclosed)
· Tommy Watson — Brighton (Loan)
· Admir Bristric — Olimpija Ljubljana (Undisclosed)
The 23-year-old Bosnian striker scored 10 goals in 24 appearances last season on loan at Slovenian club Bravo and helped them secure qualification for the UEFA Conference League.
Notable departures include:
· Abdul Fatawu — Ipswich (£20m plus £3m add-ons)
· Bilal El Khannouss — Stuttgart (£14.6m)
· Jeremy Monga — Manchester City (£12.5m)
· Harry Winks — Cagliari (Undisclosed)
· Patson Daka — Hamburg (Free)
· Ricardo Pereira — Released
· Jordan Ayew — Released
The club are also reportedly interested in Crystal Palace midfielder Justin Devenny, who has 44 Premier League appearances to his name and won the FA Cup and Conference League with the Eagles a move that would be a major statement for League One.
FAN REACTION: ‘THIS IS OUR CLUB’
Within minutes of the official statement, the hashtag #FoxesShare exploded across Leicestershire and among Leicester’s global supporter base.
Dave Thompson, 61, a lifelong season-ticket holder from Leicester, told our reporter outside the King Power Stadium:
“I’ve been coming here since the Filbert Street days. I’ve seen the highs the Premier League title win, the FA Cup, the Champions League nights. I’ve seen the lows the relegations, the points deductions. This? This is different. This is the club saying: ‘We belong to you.’ Even with the uncertainty around the sale, this shows that whoever owns the club, the fans will have a voice. With Russell Martin in charge and now this announcement, I can’t wait for tomorrow against Burton. Bring it on!”
Sarah Mitchell, 33, from Oadby, who travels to every home game with her father, said:
“This is exactly the kind of bold thinking we need. We’ve hit rock bottom, but now the fans are part of it too no matter who ends up owning the club. I can’t wait for tomorrow against Burton. What a time to be a Fox!”
“A huge move from the club ahead of the Burton clash tomorrow. The fans are what make Leicester special and giving them a voice is the right thing to do, especially during uncertain times. Come on you Foxes!”
The Leicester City Supporters Trust called the move “a landmark moment for the club,” with chair Ian Bason adding:
“This is exactly the kind of progressive thinking we want to see. The Foxes Share is a genuine step forward and a sign that the club truly values its supporters, regardless of what the future holds regarding ownership.”
A spokesperson for the Football Supporters Association added:
“Leicester have set a marker here. This is a positive step for fan engagement in English football, and we hope other clubs will follow their lead.”
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE SEASON AHEAD
With the League One campaign underway, Leicester are aiming for an immediate return to the Championship, with Martin having strengthened the squad.
“We’re ready,” Martin said.
“The energy around this club right now is incredible. We’ve got a great squad, a clear vision, and now the fans are right there with us not just in the stands, but in the decision-making too. This is a special time to be a Fox. Tomorrow, we start the journey back together.”
One fan, Paul Cooper, 47, from Loughborough, summed up the mood:
“A new season, a new manager in Russell Martin, a rebuild in progress, the club up for sale, and now the fans have a real say all with just hours to go until kick-off against Burton. What more could we ask for? I can’t wait to walk into the King Power Stadium tomorrow. This is going to be a season to remember.”
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
The club has confirmed that a full governance document outlining the scheme’s legal framework, voting thresholds, and election procedures will be published within 14 days.
For now, all eyes turn to the King Power Stadium tomorrow where Leicester will face Burton Albion with a renewed sense of purpose, a new manager at the helm, and a fanbase empowered like never before, even as the club’s ownership future remains uncertain.
