Wembley Stadium is England’s national football stadium and the largest sports venue in the United Kingdom. Located in the London Borough of Brent, the current stadium opened on 19 May 2007 with the FA Cup Final, built on the same site as the legendary original Wembley Stadium that stood from 1923 to 2000.
This guide covers everything a visitor actually needs: how big Wembley is and how the seating breaks down by tier, how to get there by tube, train, coach or car, how tickets and stadium tours work, and the record-setting football, concert and boxing nights that have made it English football’s spiritual home.
Quick Answer
Wembley Stadium seats 90,000 people across three tiers, making it the largest stadium in the UK and the second-largest in Europe by capacity. It sits next to Wembley Park, Wembley Stadium, and Wembley Central rail/tube stations, tickets for matches and concerts are sold by the event promoter (not the stadium itself), and daily behind-the-scenes stadium tours run on non-event days.
Getting to Wembley Stadium
Wembley is a public-transport destination first and foremost. Wembley Park station sits about an 8-minute walk from the stadium and is served by the Jubilee and Metropolitan lines (just two stops from Baker Street on the Metropolitan line). Wembley Stadium station, a similar walk away, connects to London Marylebone via Chiltern Railways, while Wembley Central serves the Bakerloo line and London Overground, roughly a 20-minute walk from the turnstiles. National Express is the official coach supplier, running direct services from more than 55 UK towns and cities on event days.
Driving is possible but discouraged: parking around the stadium is limited, the area sits inside London’s 24/7 Ultra Low Emission Zone, and official car parks must be pre-booked rather than paid for on arrival, with dedicated spaces for Blue Badge holders. For live departure boards, road closures on event days, and the current parking booking portal, check the official Wembley Stadium travel page.
Tickets & Stadium Tours
Wembley doesn’t sell match or concert tickets directly — the Football Association, the relevant competition organiser (UEFA, the NFL, etc.), or the touring artist controls sales, typically through Ticketmaster, AXS, or a dedicated event site, often with an early access window for members or fan-club registrants before general sale. Because Wembley hosts everything from FA Cup finals to stadium tours in concerts, always buy through the official outlet named on that specific event’s page to avoid inflated resale prices.
Separate from event tickets, the Wembley Stadium Tour is a self-contained visitor experience: a guided walk through the players’ tunnel, changing rooms, the Royal Box, and the trophy-lined media areas. Tours run on most days the stadium isn’t hosting an event, with build-up and clear-down for major fixtures and concerts causing periodic closures. Book in advance and check current tour days, times, and prices at the official Wembley Stadium Tours site, since the schedule shifts around the stadium’s live event calendar.
Seating Plan: Capacity by Tier
Wembley’s bowl is split into three tiers: a lower tier of 34,303 seats, a middle tier of 16,532 seats, and an upper tier of 39,165 seats, adding up to the stadium’s 90,000 total. The design includes 310 wheelchair spaces and roughly 400 press seats, and every seat in the bowl was engineered for an unobstructed sightline to the pitch — there are no supporting pillars anywhere in the stands, unlike the old Wembley’s famous Twin Towers–era stadium.
Because the bowl is steep and continuous, upper-tier seats sit further from the pitch than at many rival stadiums but retain a full, uninterrupted view — a deliberate trade-off Populous and Foster and Partners made to maximise atmosphere for both football crowds and end-stage concert audiences.
A Stage for Historic Moments
Since opening, Wembley has hosted some of the most memorable moments in world sport. The stadium staged the football events of the 2012 London Olympics and served as the centrepiece of UEFA Euro 2020, including the final between Italy and England. It has hosted three UEFA Champions League Finals — in 2011, 2013, and 2024 — and welcomes NFL regular-season games each autumn, underlining its remarkable versatility beyond domestic football.
Wembley’s flexible bowl also holds some notable attendance records: roughly 89,874 for the 2008 FA Cup Final, around 98,000 for Adele’s June 2017 concert run, and about 98,128 for the Anthony Joshua vs. Daniel Dubois boxing match in September 2024 — among the largest crowds Wembley has held for any event type. The stadium carries the legacy of its predecessor, the 1923 Wembley, where England famously won the 1966 FIFA World Cup, and remains the place where players and fans alike come to make history.
Engineering and Scale
At the heart of the design is the soaring 134-metre Wembley Arch, the world’s longest unsupported single-span roof structure with a 315-metre span. Visible across much of London, the arch supports more than 75% of the entire roof load, making it both an engineering marvel and an instantly recognisable landmark. The stadium perimeter stretches one kilometre, the structure required over 4,000 foundation piles, and 56 kilometres of power cables run throughout the building.
Wembley also features 2,618 toilets, 164 turnstiles, 26 lifts, and 30 escalators moving crowds through the bowl, alongside 34 bars and 8 restaurants serving fans through roughly 688 food and drink service points. The playing surface is a GrassMaster hybrid pitch — reinforced synthetic fibres woven through natural grass — engineered to withstand the punishing schedule of matches, concerts, and other events packed into the stadium’s year-round calendar.
Wembley Stadium FAQs
What is the capacity of Wembley Stadium?
Wembley Stadium has a seating capacity of 90,000, split across a 34,303-seat lower tier, 16,532-seat middle tier, and 39,165-seat upper tier — making it the largest stadium in the United Kingdom and the second-largest in Europe by capacity.
How do I get tickets for a Wembley Stadium event?
Wembley Stadium doesn’t sell event tickets itself. Match and concert tickets are sold by the organiser — the FA, UEFA, the NFL, or the touring artist — usually via Ticketmaster, AXS, or that event’s official page, so always confirm the seller on the specific event listing before buying.
Can you take a tour of Wembley Stadium?
Yes. The Wembley Stadium Tour takes visitors through the players’ tunnel, changing rooms, and Royal Box on most days the stadium isn’t hosting a live event. Book ahead through the official Wembley Stadium Tours site, since match and concert dates cause periodic closures.
How do you get to Wembley Stadium by public transport?
Wembley Park (Jubilee and Metropolitan lines) and Wembley Stadium station (Chiltern Railways from Marylebone) are both roughly an 8-minute walk from the stadium; Wembley Central (Bakerloo line and London Overground) is about 20 minutes on foot. National Express also runs official event-day coaches from over 55 UK towns and cities.
Is there parking at Wembley Stadium?
Parking near the stadium is limited and must be pre-booked through the official parking portal rather than paid on the day. Public transport is strongly recommended, and the surrounding area falls inside London’s 24/7 Ultra Low Emission Zone.
When did the current Wembley Stadium open?
The current Wembley Stadium officially opened on 19 May 2007 with the FA Cup Final. It replaced the original Wembley Stadium, which was built in 1923 and demolished in 2003.
Who owns Wembley Stadium?
Wembley Stadium is owned by the Football Association (FA), the governing body of English football, whose headquarters are located within the stadium complex itself.
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