London Stadium sits at the heart of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, east London, roughly six miles from the city centre. Opened on 5 May 2012, it was purpose-built as the centrepiece of the London 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, hosting the athletics programme as well as both the opening and closing ceremonies in front of crowds of 80,000.
After the Games, the venue underwent a £274 million conversion to become a permanent multi-use stadium. West Ham United moved in as the anchor tenant in August 2016, and the ground now accommodates around 62,500 supporters for Premier League fixtures — making it one of the largest club grounds in England. Beyond football, it continues to stage World Athletics Diamond League meetings, major concerts, and one-off sporting spectaculars.
Stats at a Glance
- Team(s): West Ham United F.C. (2016–present); UK Athletics
- Location: Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford, London
- Opened: 5 May 2012
- Football Capacity: 62,500
- Concert Capacity: up to 80,000
- Construction Cost: £486 million (approx. £821 million in 2025 values)
- Architect: Populous
- Notable Fact: Hosted 2012 Olympics opening & closing ceremonies
From Olympic Stage to Premier League Home
London Stadium was designed by the architecture firm Populous and constructed at a cost of around £486 million. During the 2012 Olympics it held 80,000 spectators and became the stage for landmark moments including Usain Bolt’s sprint finals and the Games’ opening and closing ceremonies. A transparent roof spanning 84 metres covers all seating, and 14 floodlight towers illuminate a Desso GrassMaster hybrid grass pitch that can be retracted to expose a nine-lane Mondotrack athletics surface beneath.
West Ham United officially became the stadium’s primary football tenant following a 99-year lease agreement. Their first Premier League match at the ground, a 1–0 win over AFC Bournemouth on 21 August 2016, drew an attendance of 56,977. The ground’s sheer scale means it ranks among the largest top-flight venues in the country, though the club has worked to improve the atmosphere in a bowl originally engineered for athletics.
Events Beyond Football
London Stadium has established itself as one of the UK’s premier large-scale event venues. Adele’s four-night residency in summer 2017 drew more than 214,000 fans, and Burna Boy made history there as the first African artist to headline a UK stadium show. The venue also hosted two-game MLB regular-season series in 2019 — the first Major League Baseball games ever played in Europe — when the New York Yankees faced the Boston Red Sox before sell-out crowds.
World Athletics Diamond League meetings have returned annually since 2017, cementing the stadium’s role as the UK’s top outdoor athletics venue. In 2024, the stadium completed a £4.35 million solar installation covering 6,500 square metres of its roof, projected to generate around one million kWh of renewable energy each year.
Explore more: Stadiums hub.
London Stadium FAQs
Which football team plays at London Stadium?
West Ham United F.C. has been the stadium’s primary football tenant since August 2016, when they relocated from their former home at Upton Park (Boleyn Ground).
What is the capacity of London Stadium?
The regulated capacity for football matches is 62,500. For concerts and other large events the venue can hold up to around 80,000, the same figure used during the 2012 Olympics.
Was London Stadium built for the Olympics?
Yes. It was purpose-built for the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics at a cost of approximately £486 million, serving as the athletics venue and the site of both the opening and closing ceremonies.
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Photo: Arne Müseler / CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons.