Employment Hero, the AI-powered employment platform, has extended its partnership with Leeds United for the 2026/27 season, becoming the first brand to take over and rebrand the club's iconic Legends Club.

The expanded partnership marks the next chapter in Employment Hero's commitment to Leeds and the wider Yorkshire region, bridging the worlds of football and work together by giving local small businesses exclusive access to matchday experiences, networking events and behind-the-scenes opportunities at Elland Road throughout the season.

Guests attending the club's first home fixture of the 2026/27 campaign will be the first to experience the newly rebranded Legends Club, which will serve as Employment Hero's home for hosting customers and partners across the season.

The partnership will also deliver impact beyond the matchday experience. As part of the collaboration, Employment Hero will invest in the Leeds United Foundation, working alongside its own Hero Foundation, to support people who have faced barriers to employment to access the training, connections and opportunities they need to get back into meaningful work. Together, the two foundations will collaborate with local employers and skills networks across the region to open up lasting career pathways for those who need them most.

The initiative comes at a significant time for the city. According to data from Centre for Cities, Leeds' employment rate stands at 70.9%, below the UK average of 75.4%, with the city ranking 48th out of 62 UK cities for employment. At the same time, Employment Hero's latest jobs data shows small businesses across the North of England are hiring slightly faster than the national average, with employment growth reaching 9.4% year-on-year in July, compared with 9.2% nationally. By connecting local employers with people looking to return to work, the partnership aims to ensure that growing demand for talent translates into opportunities for those who need them most.

Small businesses make up 99% of all businesses in Yorkshire and are therefore central to powering the region's economy. Despite this, many continue to face mounting pressure from rising employment costs and increasing regulation. Research from Employment Hero found that 78% of British firms agree that rising complexity has affected their ability to grow over the last 12 months, while the cost of employing someone full-time has risen by almost 10%.

Employment Hero’s mission is to make employment easier for everyone. Together with Leeds United, they aim to champion Yorkshire’s small businesses and the people behind them, and help them navigate the complexities of employment so they can grow with confidence.

Leeds has always been a city built on hard work. Whether it's the people behind a football club or the people running small businesses across Yorkshire, success depends on the individuals whose contribution often goes unseen. That's why this partnership with Leeds United means so much to us. We are keen to highlight the people who keep the region and the club running. By taking over the Legends Club, we're creating a home for Yorkshire businesses throughout the season and celebrating the people who keep this region thriving.

The club is thrilled to extend its partnership with Employment Hero for the 2026/27 season, and we are all excited to see the brand take over our popular Legends Club. Supporting small local businesses and helping them thrive alongside Employment Hero is something we're incredibly proud to be part of. We look forward to offering them new opportunities and welcoming them to Elland Road throughout the campaign.

At Leeds United Foundation, we see incredible talent and potential within our communities every day. Our role is to help unlock that potential by connecting people with the opportunities, support and pathways they need to access meaningful employment. We're excited to be working with Employment Hero to explore how, together, we can create more opportunities for people across Yorkshire and help build stronger connections between local talent and local employers. This is a partnership with real potential, and we're looking forward to seeing the impact it can have within our communities.