Wembley Stadium visitor guide, England

The new stadium at Wembley was due to open in August 2005, but various delays meant it was not completed until March 2007, costing £737 million to construct. The most striking external feature of the stadium is "The Arch", towering some 133 metres above it. The Arch is actually a load-bearing frame for the stands' roofs, constructed of white tubular steel, it can be seen right across London and is particularly spectacular at night when lit.

The stadium is a totally enclosed, three-tier structure with larger semi-circular sides at the ends. The side stands have large upper and lower tiers, with the top tier being particularly steep to keep spectators close to the action. A smaller middle tier overhangs the lower tier and houses the executive boxes at the rear. The stadium has an all-seater capacity of 90,000, which includes 310 wheelchair places throughout the stadium. One-third of the roof is moveable to protect spectators in inclement weather. Wherever spectators sit, the stadium design gives excellent views.

Wembley exudes quality in all departments: the concourses are spacious with BetFred betting facilities, flat screen televisions, and programme / merchandise outlets. Timber rafting and well positioned lighting give a modern, stylish ambience. A bronze statue of World Cup winning skipper, Bobby Moore, overlooks Wembley Way. Stadium tours are available on most days and can be booked online. The choice of food and drink is limited for such a prestigious venue. Traditional fare is offered, including various pies, pizza baguettes, hot dogs and soup. Lager, bitter and wines are also available.

Wembley is the home of the England national team, as well as the venue for the finals of domestic cup competitions and League playoffs. The stadium is also be used for other sports, including American football and rugby union. Even motorsport is hosted at Wembley Stadium and will feature when the "Race of Champions" returns in December. Non-sporting events include a Madonna concert in September.

Unlike other recently built stadiums, there are no onsite Wembley Stadium hotels - this is good news for the existing hotels near Wembley!

Getting To Wembley Stadium

Wembley is definitely a "public transport" destination as there is very little parking nearby and roads suffer terrible congestion. Hotels near Wembley stadium may have parking but drivers are recommended to park at a tube station at the end of the Metropolitan line, such as Uxbridge, catching the tube to Wembley Park. Wembley Park tube station is a ten-minute walk from the stadium.

The nearest overland train station is Wembley Stadium, on the London Marylebone-Birmingham line. If you do intend to drive however, we recommend that you use a GPS "sat nav" system using the postcode for Wembley Stadium which is HA9 0WS.