Wembley Stadium

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Lore & Background

Designed by Populous and Foster and Partners, the stadium is crowned by the Wembley Arch which serves aesthetically as a landmark across London as well as structurally, with the arch supporting over 75% of the entire roof load. The stadium was built by Australian firm Multiplex at a cost of £798 million. Two partially retractable roof structures over the east and west ends of the stadium can be opened to allow sunlight and aid pitch growth. The arch is the world's longest unsupported roof structure. The stadium has the largest roof-covered seating capacity in the world.

In Their Own Story

Rain slicked the pitch under the floodlights as the roar of the crowd vibrated through Wembley's very foundations. Here, there was no hum of high-revving engines or the acrid scent of burnt rubber; instead, the air smelled of cut grass and damp wool, filled with a deafening chant of 'Three Lions' bouncing off the great Arch. In the dying moments of extra time, a striker stood over the ball, bearing the weight of a nation on his shoulders. The silence that preceded the kick was heavier than any engine rev; this was the theatre of dreams, where football history is written one heart-stopping goal at a time.

Reader's Guide

In addition to England home games and the FA Cup final, the stadium also hosts other major games in English football, including the season-opening FA Community Shield, the finals of lower tiered cup competition – the FA Trophy, the FA Vase, finals of the EFL Cup and EFL Trophy, the FA Cup semi-finals, and the promotion play-off finals of the tiers two, three, four, and five of the English football league system. The stadium also hosts the Women's FA Cup finals and an increasing number of home games of the England women's national football team. A UEFA category four stadium, Wembley hosted the 2011, 2013 and the 2024 Champions League Finals, eight games at UEFA Euro 2020 (including the final and both of the semi-finals), and hosted the final of the UEFA Women's Euro 2022. The stadium hosted the gold-medal matches at the 2012 Olympic Games football tournament. The stadium also hosts the Rugby Football League's Challenge Cup, Women's Challenge Cup, and 1895 Cup finals, in addition to various music concerts. The stadium also hosts NFL London Games and was the temporary home of Premier League football club Tottenham Hotspur between August 2017 and March 2019, while White Hart Lane was being demolished and their new stadium was constructed. Wembley has also been chosen as one of the host stadia for UEFA Euro 2028.

Did You Know?

• The stadium's signature feature is a circular section lattice arch of 7 m internal diameter with a 315 m span, erected some 22° off true, and rising to 133 m.
• The arch supports all the weight of the north roof and 60% of the weight of the retractable roof on the southern side.
• The stadium was built at a cost of £798 million in 2007.
• In 2014, Wembley Stadium entered into a six-year sponsorship agreement with mobile provider EE, under which the facility is officially referred to as 'Wembley Stadium connected by EE'.
• The stadium has a capacity of 90,000 seats.