Leicester and Leicestershire combine national and international sporting achievements, with excellence in sports science and the commercialisation of sports and physical activities and technologies.
Elite Sports Clubs
Leicester is the only English city outside London which is home to a Premier League football club (Leicester City, 2015/16 Premier League Champions), Premiership rugby club (Leicester Tigers) and a first-class county cricket club (Leicestershire County Cricket Club). We are also home to elite clubs in basketball (Leicester Riders), speedway (Leicester Lions), netball (Loughborough Lightning), hockey and badminton.
Our four fully professional sports teams - Leicester City (football), Leicester Tigers (rugby union), Leicester Riders (basketball), and the Leicestershire County Cricket Club have 38 major honours between them, including international honours.
In 2008, the city of Leicester was awarded the status of European City of Sport, reflecting its diversity, passion, and success in sport.
Loughborough University
Loughborough University has been ranked 'Best university in the world for sports-related subjects’ for the fifth consecutive year. Loughborough’s reputation for sporting excellence spans performance, facilities, expertise and working partnerships. Their strong association with elite performance sport is boosted by the number of students, alumni and Loughborough-based athletes that choose the campus as their training base; the number of national sport governing bodies that house their main headquarters there; and the decision in 2012 to use Loughborough as the official preparation camp for Team GB ahead of the Olympics.
Other Key Sectors in Leicestershire