Craven Cottage has been the home of Fulham F.C. since 1896, making it one of the oldest football grounds still in use in England. Tucked beside the River Thames in the Fulham district of West London, the site traces its name back to a cottage built there in 1780 by William Craven, sixth Baron Craven, long before football arrived on the land.
What sets Craven Cottage apart from every other stadium in English football is its setting: it is the only ground in the top flight with a stand directly on the riverbank. That distinction, combined with the century-old Johnny Haynes Stand and a newly rebuilt Riverside Stand, gives the ground a character that blends Edwardian heritage with modern hospitality.
Stats at a Glance
- Team: Fulham F.C.
- Location: Fulham, London, England
- Opened: 1896
- Capacity: about 29,600
- Record Attendance: 49,335 (vs. Millwall, October 8, 1938)
- Notable Feature: Only an English top-flight ground located directly on the River Thames
A Century of History on the Riverbank
The Johnny Haynes Stand, completed in 1905, is the oldest surviving stand at any English football league ground still in its original form. It was designed by Archibald Leitch, the Scottish architect behind several early British football stadiums, and its red-brick facade earned the stand Grade II listed status. The stand and its neighboring pavilion were built after safety concerns following a 1905 legal case, part of a wider push to modernize English football grounds in the early twentieth century.
The Riverside Stand Transformation
Fulham redeveloped the Riverside Stand in stages starting in 2019, finally completing the project and opening its full range of facilities in May 2025. The rebuilt stand added roughly 8,000 seats, including over 2,300 premium seats across terraces, balconies, and lounges, and pushed the ground’s overall capacity to about 29,600. Beyond seating, the new stand introduced amenities rarely found at a football stadium, including a rooftop terrace, hotel rooms, and a spa, turning it into a matchday and non-matchday destination overlooking the Thames.
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Craven Cottage FAQs
How old is Craven Cottage?
Craven Cottage opened in 1896, making it one of the oldest continuously used football grounds in England.
What is the capacity of Craven Cottage?
Following the completion of the Riverside Stand redevelopment in 2025, Craven Cottage holds approximately 29,600 spectators.
What makes Craven Cottage unique among English stadiums?
It is the only stadium in England’s top flight with a stand built directly alongside the River Thames, and it retains the Johnny Haynes Stand, the oldest original stand still in use at any English league ground.
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Photo: Elliot Smith / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.