The venue opened in 1854 initially as a cricket ground and became the headquarters for Yorkshire CCC in 1863. It rapidly became the focus of a number of sports in the area with cricket, bowls, lacrosse, tennis, cycling and athletics taking place as well as football which made its debut at the arena on December 29th, 1862 with a match between Hallam and Sheffield FCs.

The football-playing branch of Wednesday CC (one of the summer occupiers of the ground) used Bramall Lane on many occasions from 1868 and during the 1880s the facilities included a covered stand on the north side, terracing on the west side and a new pavilion on the south side. Wednesday FC moved to the Olive Grove in 1887 and with Yorkshire CCC moving their headquarters to Headingley, the Ground Committee quickly formed their own club, Sheffield United FC, to utilize the venue.

Two stands were constructed in the 1890s, a cover over the narrow terracing on the east side and a 2,000 seat replacement at the north end, the latter itself being replaced in 1902 by a 3,000 seat stand and paddock following a fire in 1900. Further developments in the early 1900s included the covering of the west end, linking up with the north stand, and, following the destruction of its roof in 1903, the enlargement and terracing of the east end. By this time all the covered accommodation was near the football pitch at the north end of the ground, whilst the southern end, which still accommodated standing spectators was uncovered and somewhat remote from the action.

Just prior to WWII the east end was roofed (only at the north end!) and the record attendance of 68,287 was set at the FA Cup 5th Round tie v. Leeds United (3-1) on February 15th, 1936. During hostilities the ground suffered bomb damage with the destruction of half of the north stand and the cover over the east end and, although the latter was re-roofed in 1948, it was not until 1954 that the north stand saw full restoration.

Although a new stand was constructed at the west end in 1966 it was in the 1970s that the greatest changes were undertaken when the cricket club was given notice to quit. The last County Championship match at Bramall Lane was played on August 7th, 1973 and within two years a new all seated south stand was constructed on the cricket square, finally enclosing the football pitch some 75 years after Sheffield United first took to the field.

Subsequent improvements include the installation of seats and re-roofing of the east end and a new 7,000 seat stand on the north side. In 2007 the south and west stands were joined by an in-fill giving an all-seated capacity of 33,000 at the start of the 2007/8 season. The pitch size was 113 x 72 yards.