The Premier League club, who are owned by 49ers Enterprises, received the go-ahead from Leeds City Council on Thursday for an Elland Road transformation.
The expansion will see a capacity increase to 53,000 through developments in the North and West Stands, along with changes to the South Stand.
🏟️ Leeds United Football Club can today confirm that planning permission has been granted for the long-awaited expansion of Elland Road Stadium, a historic milestone for the club, its supporters and the city of Leeds
— Leeds United (@LUFC) January 8, 2026
Once completed, the ground will achieve UEFA Category 4 stadium status, enabling bids to host future international tournaments and events.
Immediate work will start, with major construction planned for the end of the 2025/26 season.
Marathe, who holds a vice-chairman role at Rangers and is also Leeds’ chairman, spoke on the Leeds United website.
He said: “We are delighted to have secured planning permission for the expansion of Elland Road Stadium. This is a historic day for Leeds United Football Club.
“As custodians of this great club, we are committed to its long-term success, and today’s decision supports our ambition to establish Leeds in the Premier League and continue progressing over the years to come.”
Acknowledging the collaborative effort that got them to this point, he added: “I would like to thank everyone involved in the project to date for helping us reach this point.”
Last month, Rangers launched a consultation process with supporters to gauge opinions on a potential stadium expansion at Ibrox.
Their findings will be collated and used to shape the direction of the football club in a number of key areas.