Qpr Honours Former Youth Player With Loftus Road Name Change

06 Jun 2019 | Bradley Rial

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Queens Park Rangers has announced that its Loftus Road home ground will be renamed The Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium from the start of the 2019/20 season.

The renaming has been announced after the Championship club invited fans to nominate a local charity which could be gifted naming rights to the stadium. A shortlist of five charities was drawn up and The Kiyan Prince Foundation emerged as the winner after picking up more than 63% of the overall votes.

Kiyan Prince was a footballer in the QPR academy who was tragically stabbed to death outside his school on 18th May 2006 at the age of 15. His father Mark set up the foundation in his honour to educate young people on the consequences of knife crime.

Mark Prince said: “I can’t tell you what this means to Kiyan’s mum, to me, his brothers and sisters, his friends and people who have been supporting the work we have been doing.

“Kiyan was a very special young man. We hear many stories about his kindness and good nature so to have the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium at a place where his skills were honed is a dream come true.

“It means so much and only confirms the relationship that I know I have with the QPR fans. They always give me their support. This gives us so many opportunities and we have to make sure we capitalise on them. Kiyan would be blown away by what is going on.”

QPR Chief Executive Lee Hoos said the club will look to strengthen its relationship with the charity over the coming months. He also confirmed the club would look at ways to work with a number of the other charities that were nominated by supporters.

QPR first revealed plans to donate Loftus Road’s naming rights to charity back in April. Fans had until 3rd May to nominate local charities through a survey on the club’s website. Supporters were asked to consider local charities that have had a strong impact on the community.

The official unveiling of the new stadium name will take place during QPR’s first home match of the 2019/20 season.