Twickenham Stadium

Did You Know?

• Twickenham Stadium hosted the Rugby World Cup finals in 1991 and 2015, and semi-finals in 1999.
• The stadium was confirmed as a host venue for the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup and hosted the final on 27 September 2025.
• The World Rugby Museum, located in the stadium, displays an English jersey from the first rugby union international in 1871.

Overview

Twickenham Stadium, owned and operated by the RFU, hosts rugby union fixtures throughout the year. It is the home ground of the English rugby union team, who play nearly all their home games there, including Six Nations matches and November tests against Southern Hemisphere touring sides. The stadium also hosts the annual London leg of the World Rugby Sevens Series, the Premiership Rugby final, Harlequins' Big Game at Christmas, and an additional Harlequins fixture in late spring. Other events include the Anglo-Welsh Cup, Heineken Cup and Champions Cup finals, the Varsity Match between Oxford and Cambridge, the English schools' Daily Mail Cup Final, and the Army Navy Match.

History

The RFU purchased a 10.25-acre market garden in Twickenham in 1907 for £5,500 12s 6d, after sold-out Tests at Crystal Palace showed the need for their own ground. The site had grown cabbages, leading to the nickname the Cabbage Patch. The first stands were built in 1908, and the first game, Harlequins v. Richmond, was played on 2 October 1909. The first international, England v. Wales, took place on 15 January 1910 with a capacity of 20,000. During World War I, the ground was used for grazing cattle, horses, and sheep. King George V unveiled a war memorial in 1921. The first Middlesex Sevens were held in 1926, and the first Varsity Match at Twickenham occurred in 1927. On 19 March 1938, BBC Television broadcast the England–Scotland match live, the first live television broadcast of a rugby match. In 1959, a combined England and Wales side beat Ireland and Scotland to mark the ground's 50th anniversary. In the 1988 Five Nations, England trailed Ireland 0–3 at halftime but won 35–3, scoring six tries. Three tries by Chris Oti led to the adoption of "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" as a terrace song, after a group of boys from Douai school sang it.

Redevelopment

Twickenham has undergone several redevelopments since 1907. In 1921, a stand was built above the northern terrace. The East Stand was extended in 1927, raising capacity to 12,000, and the south terrace was later extended to hold 20,000. A new West Stand completed in 1932 provided RFU offices. In 1965, the South Terrace closed due to structural failings; rebuilding was delayed by planning objections until permission was granted in 1978. Extensive rebuilding occurred from the early 1980s to the mid-1990s. The South Terrace was rebuilt as the South Stand in 1981. A new North Stand opened in 1990, followed by new East and West stands to the same design, all built by Mowlem. The redevelopment was completed in 1995, creating an all-seater stadium for 75,000. Planning permission for a new South Stand was sought in 2002 and granted in December 2004; work began in June 2005. The new stand raised capacity to 82,000 and added a Marriott hotel, VIP suites, a performing arts complex, a health club, a rugby shop, and more function space. The old south stand was demolished in July 2005; planned festivities were cancelled after the 7 July terror attacks. The new seating, started by Mowlem and finished by Carillion, was completed on 5 November 2006 for the England–New Zealand match.

Other uses

Due to Wembley construction delays, events were moved to Twickenham, including concerts by the Rolling Stones, Genesis, the Police, Rod Stewart, R.E.M., Bon Jovi, Iron Maiden, Lady Gaga, and Rihanna. Concert capacity is up to 55,000. Lady Gaga's 2012 shows sold out in 50 seconds for the first date, a UK record. Since the mid-1950s, the stadium has hosted Jehovah's Witnesses annual conventions for the London area, with up to 25,000 attendees. In 2025, the operator sought to increase non-sporting events from three to up to fifteen per year and raise the attendance limit to 75,000. In November 2015, the RFU and the NFL agreed a three-year deal to host at least three NFL London Games, starting in October 2016. On 23 October 2016, the Los Angeles Rams played the New York Giants at Twickenham. The final two games of the agreement were played in 2017.