Leeds were founder members of the Northern Union in 1895 and Headingley hosted rugby league's first ever Challenge Cup Final in 1897.

The 1970 Rugby League World Cup final between Great Britain and Australia was played at the stadium before a crowd of 18,776.

Host nation England defeated rugby league minnows South Africa 46–0 in front of 14,041 fans.

The 2012 World Club Challenge saw the stadium packed to its capacity when the home team, and Super League XVI Champions, Leeds Rhinos took on the 2011 NRL winners the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.

A total of 21,062 turned out to see the Rhinos defeat Manly 26–12, the game being highlighted by Ryan Hall's 90-metre intercept try midway through the first half.

In 2015 Headingley hosted New Zealand again for the first time since 2013 where they took on Leeds Rhinos as a warm-up for their test series against England.

In January 2016, it was announced that the North and South stands were to be rebuilt as part of the overdue redevelopment of the stadium and adjoining cricket ground.

[5] Financing for the £44 million redevelopment works on both the rugby stadium and cricket ground was secured from insurance and investment management group Legal & General in March 2017,[6] with a further £10 million as well as a stadium sponsorship secured in June 2017 from Emerald Group Publishing.

[8] Leeds Rhinos mostly continued playing at Headingley while construction work was underway on both stands, although two games were moved to Elland Road at the start of the 2018 season.

The club have explored possibilities of expanding the stand and putting a roof over it; however, owing to there being a public right of way and residential houses, plans have never been able to come to fruition.

The stand also houses the changing rooms as well as the media and journalists and a banqueting suite that is shared by both the cricket and rugby grounds.

In 2017, Headingley sold the naming rights to Bingley-based publishers Emerald Group during the redevelopment of the North and South stands.

At the end of the 2023 season, Leeds announced a record-breaking 15-year sponsorship deal with Leeds-based car leasing company AMT.

Headingley hosted its first Championship Grand Final in 2007 when Castleford beat Widnes in front of 20,000 people to be promoted to Super League.

The event returned in 2014 when Leigh beat Featherstone however they were not promoted due to Super League then licensing period.