Wembley Stadium, Football Ground London

Wembley Stadium building photos, Large London football ground, Architect, UK arena design

Wembley Stadium London

English Sports Arena in UK Capital design by Foster + Partners / HOK Sport, England.

post updated 13 September 2023

Capacity: 90,000

Wembley Stadium Building
photograph © Foster + Partners

Denmark won the European Championship in 1992. England have never won it, and reached the last four back in Euro 96.

UEFA Euro 2020 Semi-final – venue info

page updated 10 Apr 2020 + 29 Jun 2014

Wembley Stadium Building, London

Redevelopment – Dates built: 1996-2007
Architects: Foster + Partners / HOK Sport

Location: northwest London, England, UK

Wembley Stadium Building
photo © Foster + Partners

National Stadium for both England & United Kingdom

This was the venue for an England vs France friendly, four days after the Paris attacks, where France’s football game with Germany at the Stade de France was targeted.

Wembley Stadium Building London
photo © Foster + Partners

At almost four times the height of the original, covering twice the area, and with 90,000 seats, the new Wembley Statium is the largest covered football stadium in the world. The key feature of the new stadium is its partly retractable roof, supported structurally by a spectacular 133-metre-high arch. Dramatically illuminated at night, the arch is visible from across London.

Wembley Stadium Building UK

Wembley Football Stadium Building
photos © Foster + Partners

The match is due to kick off 8pm GMT on Tuesday November 17.

Tributes planned for before this friendly game may delay kick-off slightly.

The England v France game will be shown live on ITV and ITV HD.

Co-architects: HOK S+V+E

Wembley Stadium Renewal

Wembley Statium Redevelopment
Design: Foster + Partners led by Norman Foster with HOK Sport led by Rod Sheard

Approximate construction building cost: £757m

Wembley Stadium London
photo © Nick Weall

Originally built for the British Empire Exhibition of 1924, and in turn the site of the Olympic Games in 1948 and the football World Cup Final in 1966, the old Wembley Stadium was the most important sports and entertainment venue in Britain.

Wembley Stadium Building
photograph © Foster + Partners

The challenge in reinventing it for a new century was to build on that heritage and yet create a venue that would be memorable and magical in its own right. With 90,000 seats, standing almost four times the height and covering twice the area of the original, the new stadium is the largest covered arena in the world.

UK National Football Ground Building
photo © Foster + Partners

Facilities are designed to maximise spectator enjoyment; seats are larger than the old ones, with more leg-room; the highest tiers are easily accessed via escalators; and the concourse that wraps around the building provides catering for up to 40,000 spectators at any one time. One of the things that make the stadium special is the retractable roof, which ensures that the spectator experience is comfortable in all weathers.

England National football ground
photo © Nick Weall

When the roof at Wembley is open it ensures that the turf gets sufficient sunlight and air to maintain perfect condition, while in poor weather it can be closed to cover the entire seating bowl. The roof is supported structurally by a spectacular 133-metre-high arch that soars over the stadium, providing an iconic replacement for the old building’s twin towers; conceived as a triumphal gateway, floodlit at night it is a strong symbol for the new Wembley and a new London landmark.

Wembley Stadium England building
photo © Nick Weall

Wembley stadium is designed to be ideal for football. Its geometry and steeply raked seating tiers ensure that everyone has an unobstructed view. To recreate the intimate atmosphere and the distinctive ‘Wembley roar’ for which the old stadium was famous, the seats are located as close to the pitch as possible.

Wembley Stadium London building
photo © Nick Weall

Yet the building has also been consciously ‘future proofed’, with the ability to host a variety of events, including international track and field events to Olympic standard if required.

Wembley Stadium aerial photo
aerial picture © webbaviation

Wembley Stadium England – Building Information

Appointment: 1996
Completion: 2007
Area: 170,000m²
Height: 135 m
Capacity: 90,000

Client: Wembley National Stadium Limited
Consultants: Mott Stadium Consortium, Franklin + Andrews, Mott Stadium Consortium, Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners, Ove Arup and Partners, Sinclair Knight Merz (Europe) Limited, Sports Turf Research Institute, Steer Davis Gleeve

Executive suites: 166
Record attendance: 90,000 (concerts by Muse, Eminem)

The venue for the 2012 Olympics football finals, the stadium is designed to be ideal for the sport.
London Olympics 2012 Football – Wembley, northwest London
North London Arena Building
image from Olympic Delivery Authority

More information re Wembley Stadium online soon

Designers of this UK natonal sports ground : Foster + Partners Architects

Joint architect : HOK Sport

Website: Wembley Stadium Building London – Foster + Partners project page

Winner of a RIBA National Award 2008 : RIBA Awards

Location: North west London, England, UK

London Buildings

Contemporary London Architecture Designs

London Architecture Designs – chronological list

London Architectural Tours – tailored UK capital city walks by e-architect

London Architecture News

London Football Stadiums

London Football Grounds – major club stadium buildings selection from e-architect below:

New Chelsea Football Stadium, southwest London
Architect: Herzog & de Meuron
New Chelsea Stadium London
picture : Herzog & de Meuron
New Chelsea Football Stadium

Emirates Stadium, north London
Emirates Stadium London
photo © Hufton and Crow
Emirates Stadium

New Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, northeast London
New Spurs Stadium
image from architects
New Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London – home of Spurs

New West Ham Stadium, east London
West Ham United Stadium Wrap
image from West Ham United Football Club
West Ham United Football Club Stadium

Brit Oval London

English Football Stadiums

Liverpool Stadium

Manchester United Stadium

Newcastle United Stadium

http://www.wembleystadium.com/

Football Stadium Buildings

Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany

Nou Camp Stadium

Football Stadium Buildings

Wembley Buildings

HOK Architects – joint designers for this English national football ground

Nou Camp Barcelona

London Architecture Offices

London Olympic Buildings

11 July 2021

England v Italy

There were 64,950 fans inside Wembley for the England v Denmark semi-final — occupying 75% of the available seats. A similar number will be allowed for the England versus Italy Euros final.

post updated 7 July 2021

2021 European Championship – Semi-final – BBC article

England v Denmark

Venue: Wembley Stadium

Wednesday 7 July at 20:00 BST

Likely attendance for the 2021 Euros Semi-final: around 60,000

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wembley_Stadium

Comments / photos for the Wembley Stadium London Architecture page welcome