7 Best Football Stadiums in London

Wembley Stadium is the largest in the UK and worthy of its reputation as the home of football. Opened in 2007, this 90,000-seater stadium has hosted English international games, UEFA Champions’ League finals, FA Cup finals and exhibition games that have seen the world’s finest players take to the pitch. The walk from the overland station Wembley Stadium or the underground station Wembley Park has a special feel to it and there’s always a special energy in the build-up to the game. The famous arch that stretches over the stadium can be seen right across the city. Wembley also has a retractable roof that helps to ensure fixtures will take place even in bad weather.

If you want the best atmosphere, try to get a ticket behind the goals at either end. These areas are where the die-hard fans sit and get the chants going all around the ground. Families often choose the central stands level with the halfway line. Prices vary significantly at Wembley, with the cheapest tickets being in the third (and highest) level of the stand. Even if a game isn’t scheduled, you can take a 75-minute stadium tour, which takes you around the changing rooms, the Royal Box, and the trophy room.

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is one of the most impressive grounds in Europe, especially during evening games when the whole ground is lit up in a cool neon blue. For many years the team played at White Hart Lane but knocked this ageing stadium down to build their current home, which opened in 2019. With a capacity of over 62,000, this ultramodern stadium is the largest club ground in London. It’s walking distance from White Hart Lane train station, which was also completely renovated at the same time as the football ground. It’s fully wheelchair accessible and has a host of cafés and restaurants nearby.

Pleasingly, The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has not copied many other modern stadiums and shunned the ‘bowl’ type design. Instead, it's designed in a more traditional style with 4 large stands on each side of the ground. For the best atmosphere, try to book a ticket in the North End – known locally as the Paxton End. Outside of match days, consider taking the innovative stadium tour that, thanks to a multimedia device, allows you to explore the extensive facilities at your own pace.

Arsenal FC is one of London’s most successful teams and plays their home matches at the 60,000-capacity Emirates Stadium in Highbury, North London. The stadium opened in 2006, replacing the much smaller Highbury Stadium, where Arsenal had played for 93 years. Arsenal station on the Piccadilly Line is the closest subway station to The Emirates Stadium, but you can also take the Victoria Line to Highbury & Islington, which is around a 10-minute walk away and is far less crowded.

The Emirates Stadium is most atmospheric in the upper tiers behind the goal, especially the famous North Bank. For families, the lower tiers in the East and West stands are best. The seats are level with the pitch, which gives a great view of the action. If you want to visit the changing rooms and see the many, many trophies Arsenal has won in the past, you can take a self-guided tour of the stadium between 10 am and 5 pm on match days.

Chelsea’s ground, Stamford Bridge, is in the borough of Fulham in West London. It’s been their home since the club was founded in 1877, although frequent renovations have ensured it’s one of the finest stadiums in the UK. On matchdays, the atmosphere in Stamford Bridge is full of energy with lots of chanting. If you want to be in amongst it, get a ticket in the lower level of the Matthew Harding Stand. For families, the East Stand is best.

Due to Chelsea’s incredible success in the 2000s, a stadium tour is now one of the best in the UK as they have won every domestic and European title, which you can view in the trophy room. You can reach Chelsea’s home ground from Fulham Broadway station on the District Line.

London Stadium was built as the centrepiece of the London 2012 Summer Olympics and is now the home of West Ham United FC. The oval-shaped stadium is surrounded by a fully gentrified area in East London, with plenty to explore before or after the match. The 60,000-seater ground is well designed with excellent views from every section of the ground. Wheelchair accessibility is also well thought out here. As this is a massive stadium for the size of the club, you can often buy tickets to watch a match on the day – this is not the case for the larger teams in the UK.

If you’re looking to join in the chants of the West Ham faithful, book a seat in the Billy Bonds Stand. Stadium tours take place throughout the week, which takes you through the stadium and explains interesting details about its construction. You can find the London Olympic Stadium next to Stratford station, which links to underground and overground train lines.

If you’re looking to combine sporting heritage with the excitement of a live football match, Fulham FC’s Craven Cottage is hard to beat. This comparatively ancient stadium in West London is on the north bank of the River Thames in swanky Fulham. The team has rarely been one of England’s big hitters, but following a take-over by Harrod’s owner Mohamed Al-Fayed, Fulham had a period of huge success and was propelled up the football leagues to become a renowned Premier League team.

What makes Craven Cottage so unique is the red brick used to build the stadium and the wooden seats still in use today. It’s got a traditional feel that’s completely different from the glass-and-steel construction of modern grounds. You can tour the ground on a football tour, which will give you a great understanding of the stadium and the history of the club. To reach Craven Cottage, take the Underground to Putney Bridge Station.

Charlton Athletic are a bit of a sleeping giant in East London. Considering the size of The Valley stadium – the ground has a capacity of 27,000 – it’s surprising the club hasn’t been in the Premier League since the 2006/7 season. Although eclipsed by many other teams in London, Charlton fans are a passionate bunch and The Valley is a vibrant place to watch some lower league English football. The tickets are also significantly cheaper than other London teams.

For atmosphere, book a ticket in the North Stand. This is the most modern area of the ground, with the best facilities. The best view is found in the upper West Stand. The South Stand is given to the away supporters and it looks quite outdated compared to the more modern stands on the other 3 sides of the pitch. Charlton overland train station sits a few minutes from the ground. It connects to London Bridge underground station on the Jubilee and Northern lines.