The Best Football Stadiums to visit in the UK

Sure, it may be rather a long time since Tottenham collected any silverware (a 2-1 victory over Chelsea in 2008’s League Cup, to be precise – ed.), but that doesn’t detract in any way from the quality of the ultra-hi-tech Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Built on the site of their original White Hart Lane HQ, which served the club faithfully from 1899 until its demolition in 2017, it features a unique retractable pitch with an artificial surface underneath that’s suitable for NFL games and concerts. And, with seating for 63,000, it’s also the largest club stadium by capacity in London. Pretty cool, huh? And there’s more, to boot: the Dare Skywalk allows you to stroll across the top of the stadium for crowd-pleasing views of the pitch and London skyline beyond. Even non-footie fans are bound to get a kick out of that!

When Arsenal made the move from Highbury to the Emirates in 2006, they increased capacity by nearly 40%. Their (relatively) new home can seat more than 60,000 fans and the team has added several more pieces of silverware (mostly FA Cup and Community Shield) to the trophy cabinet since making the move. But oh what a trophy cabinet it is. And you can ogle all that bling – plus iconic exhibits like Thierry Henry’s golden boot – on tours of the stadium. You’ll also get a chance to visit the pre-match physio room, walk through the players’ tunnel, and take in  awesome pitch-side views.

Check out our six fascinating facts about the Arsenal stadium here.

Remarkable more for the stadium itself than West Ham’s, ahem, patchy trophy record, London Stadium was purpose-built for the 2012 Olympics, bearing witness to gold-medal-winning performances from British legends including Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis-Hill. West Ham moved in during the summer of 2016, and you can now pitch up for an ogle behind the scenes of the stadium, including the players’ tunnel, managers’ dug-outs, and world’s largest cantilevered roof.

Pro-tip: London Stadium forms the grand centrepiece of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, making it well-placed for exploring its many other attractions – check out the mighty ArcelorMittal Orbit, go for a dip at the London Aquatics Centre and take to the canals network by boat, canoe or even swan-shaped pedalo.

Who can forget Chelsea’s famous 2005 victory over Barcelona? Or Didier Drogba’s last-minute goal against Bayern Munich in 2012, which paved the way for The Blues to lift their first-ever Champions League trophy? Those with even longer memories will likely recall plenty more triumphs and disasters – after all, Chelsea have been playing at their beloved Stamford Bridge home for over a century. That makes it one of the oldest football stadiums in the UK and, indeed, the world. Sure, the age of the place makes for more modest capacity compared to modern rival grounds like Old Trafford and the Emirates, but Chelsea’s 40,000-strong crowd can still pack a mighty punch on match days. Visit for a stadium tour that takes in Drogba’s shirts, the players’ tunnel, a replica of the Champions League trophy, and the chance to pay your respects to gone-but-never-forgotten Blues players and fans in the legendary Shed End.

Check out our five interesting facts about Chelsea’s historic stadium here.

It’s 1967, and Scotland have just declared themselves unofficial world champions after beating England – themselves fresh from World Cup glory – by three goals to two here at Hampden Park. Such high-spirited rivalry is typical of these two national teams, who’ve faced each other more often than any other nation (more than 100 times) down the years. Along with Wembley, Glasgow’s mighty Hampden Park has frequently been the chosen venue for these face-offs, famously drawing a crowd of 149,415 to a 1937 meeting, a tally that holds the European record to this day.

Visit the stadium for a stroll through the players’ tunnel and onto the pitch, a chance to stand in the Royal Box, and a peek inside the Scottish Football Museum, home to more than 100 years of football history.

With 20 league titles under their belts, Manchester United have won English football’s top flight more often than any other team (though local rivals Liverpool may have a thing or two to say about that!). No surprise then that, since its completion in 1910, their Old Trafford Stadium has seen its fair share of special footballing moments. We’re talking Man U’s historic 1968 European Cup win, making them the first English club to lift the trophy, and Wayne Rooney’s record-breaking 2017 goal, which cemented his legend as the club’s all-time top goalscorer.

Bonus fact: Old Trafford is the largest club stadium by capacity in the UK, with the ability to seat a whopping 74,310 fans. Tours of its museum, trophy room and hallowed turf are available.

They think it’s all over… it is now! You didn’t think we’d forgotten Wembley, did you? Well, of course we haven’t! And here it is... 

With a capacity of 90,000, the English national team’s stadium is the largest in the UK, its soaring arch a 133-metre-high icon of the London skyline. The stadium’s storied history is  seared into the nation’s psyche, not least due to famous wins for Alf Ramsay’s 1966 World Cup squad, and the Lionesses roaring to victory over Germany in the 2022 Euros final. It’s also where Gazza ended Scotland’s Euro ‘96 dreams with perhaps the most iconic goal of his career, and thousands of lucky music fans watched the biggest names in rock and pop at 1985’s legendary Live Aid concerts.

Top tip: tours of Wembley Stadium are included with The London Pass®, and include access to the players’ tunnel and dressing rooms, the Walk of Legends and more.