Wembley Stadium is one of the best known sports arenas in England, if not Europe. Based in Northwest London’s Wembley area, the stadium is on every football lovers bucket list on their visit to London. Easily reachable for guests of the Piccadilly Hotel London via the Jubilee and Metropolitan Line, Wembley Stadium plays host to some of the biggest football matches in the country, both on an international and club level.
With nearly 100 years of history, Wembley Stadium is exquisitely designed and much-loved by football lovers. There’s more to it than just the odd football match though. Wembley has played host to countless sports, music events and more and its hallways and field are home to many secrets.
Guests of West End Hotel Special offers can visit Wembley as part of the London Pass, the perfect way to skip the queue and ticket buying for paid attractions in the city. If the half hour journey from Central to northwest London is putting you off a trip to the UK’s most famous stadium, this blog will explore some of the lesser known facts about this beautiful, 90,000 capacity stadium.
Wembley Stadium – An Overview
Wembley Stadium dates back to the 2007, when it was built upon the site of a previous stadium (which we’ll get onto in a little bit. The stadium itself hosts the final of the FA Cup every year alongside being the home turf of England football team matches. Wembley Stadium is also the host of a range of other football competitions and is known for its 134 metre high “Wembley Arch”, a light emblazoned column that welcomes visitors into the stadium. Due to its size and the fact that it’s the second biggest stadium in Europe, Wembley can be seen from viewpoints across the centre of the city, making it one of the most striking modern day landmarks in London.
History
Designed by Foster + Partners and HOK Sport, the engineers behind the modern iteration of Wembley Stadium was a trio of consultancy firms, all of whom won a contract that would cost, by 2007, £798 million to build the stadium. That’s more than £1 billion in today’s rates! As exemplified by the fact that Wembley Stadium went over budget by millions, the road to Wembley was not a smooth one, and over the years, the firms involved in its construction were victims of delays, shoddy work and construction time underestimations. However, eventually it was built and today sees revenues per year of around £50 million.
Old Wembley Stadium
The Wembley Stadium that stands today was not the first on the site. Indeed, there was another which dates back to 1923 when it had more than 10,000 extra in capacity. However, this is because the stadium previously allowed standing tickets , especially for its side sport – greyhound racing. Originally known as the British Empire Stadium, it was opened by King George V as an exhibition which showcased the British Empire. After the financial disappointment of this exhibition, Wembley Stadium was sold off and redeveloped, at which point it took the name of the area in which it had been built.
Old Wembley Stadium has played host to some of the most famous music events in British history, including the 1983 Live Aid Concert that featured Elton John and David Bowie. The stadium was also the venue at which England last won the World Cup by defeating Germany back in 1966.
Architecture
Moving back to the modern day Wembley Stadium, it’s easy to see why guests of hotels in the West End of London UK would want to visit, even if they weren’t fans of football. Wembley Stadium is famous for its stunning design, and aside from the aforementioned Wembley Arch feature, has several other beautiful attributes that help it stand out from other sporting arenas. Its bowl design protects from the elements whilst a retractable roof that amounts to 40,000 square metres protects in the event of especially bad weather.
The Science Of Wembley
The bowl design of Wembley Stadium doesn’t shut it off from the sky and allows sound to travel around and out the top of the stadium. These incredible acoustics within Wembley are part of the magic experience of seeing events here, and were actually designed by scientists. Using crowd recordings from matches played at old Wembley Stadium, the acoustics of the modern iteration were measured via computer models to match that of its predecessor. On top of this, the iconic arch supports the roof, which means that no pillars are needed in Wembley Stadium. This means that wherever you are sitting, your view is completely unrestricted.
Music At Wembley
We’ve mentioned performances at Old Wembley, but the 2007 variant has played host to many special live events too. Musicians who have performed at Wembley Stadium include Adele, Muse and Madonna among many others. Guests of the Piccadilly London West End should consult the Wembley Stadium website for the next big music events programmed at the stadium for 2023.
Wembley Stadium Tours
Tours of Wembley Stadium can be booked for between 10am and 3pm. These group and individual tours of the stadium are led by professional guides and explore the history and stories behind the country’s most loved football arena. You’ll experience the press room, dressing rooms and many other areas that are usually off limits to spectators. Furthermore, visitors who don’t speak English can enjoy audio tours in a variety of languages, making this an inclusive, accessible and captivating tour experience. With dining on site and around the stadium to rival the best restaurants in the West End, all needs will be met during and after your Wembley Stadium visit.
Wembley Stadium Museum
Included in the tour ticket is entrance to the Wembley Stadium Museum, which holds exhibits on artefacts and original photography of the stadium’s history. From paraphernalia of England’s only World Cup win to championship trophies and original football kit, this museum may be small but is a sports enthusiast’s dream gallery.
