QPR's stadium renamed in honour of murdered teenager

  • London
Credit: PA

QPR's Loftus Road Stadium is to be renamed after murdered London teenager Kiyan Prince.

Kiyan was a promising footballer in the QPR academy. He was stabbed to death as he broke up a fight outside his school in 2006. He was just 15-years-old when he died.

QPR fans were invited to nominate a local charity which would be gifted the naming rights of the stadium. From those nominations a short-list of five charities was drawn up by the club for supporters to select their preferred choice.

Receiving more than 63 per cent of the overall votes, The Kiyan Prince Foundation was the unanimous winner.

Kiyan Prince was killed outside his school in 2006 Credit: PA

Loftus Road in Shepherd's Bush will be renamed The Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium from the start of the 2019/20 season.

The official unveiling of the new stadium name will take place when QPR play their first competitive fixture of the new campaign.

Mark Prince has been supported by QPR fans since Kiyan's death Credit: QPR

Kiyan's father Mark, set up The Kiyan Prince Foundation to educate young people about the devastating consequences of knife crime.

Mark 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."