Wembley Stadium

The new 90,000 seat Wembley Stadium was designed by the World Stadium Team, a joint venture between Populous and Foster & Partners, as a multi-purpose venue to host soccer, rugby, concerts and, by the installation of a temporary deck above pitch level, athletics when required.

The geometry of the design brought the Wembley heritage into the 21st Century, with a new, open four-tier seating bowl achieving excellent sightlines across the pitch, and improved spectator comfort. Every seat offers more width and legroom than those in the old Royal Box. A retractable roof on the southern side allows additional light and air onto the pitch and also shelters spectators during events. Between events, the roof is left open, but can be moved to cover all the seats. The roof and bowl were both acoustically engineered to replicate the famous ‘Wembley Roar’, enhancing the atmosphere and sense of occasion for both spectators and players. Key to the roof design is the Wembley Arch, a symbol of the new stadium and the longest single span roof structure in the world. Supporting both the fixed and moving roof sections from above, the arch eliminates the need for supporting columns, and has created a new landmark on the London skyline.

As the venue for the biggest national and international games in English football, the stadium has a range of hospitality spaces that allow 10,000 people to dine before a match. These facilities are designed also to be used on non-match days for conferences, dinners and other events, creating Wembley Stadium as a London hospitality venue for events throughout the year. The London Borough of Brent has been revitalised by the new stadium, with the upgraded public transport links encouraging match-day arrivals also benefitting local residents and businesses. Up to 1,800 people visiting the area daily on their way to the famous Wembley Stadium tour.

Proposals for mixed use developments in the surrounding former light industrial areas continue to ripple out from the stadium core facility.