London, England, is an excellent city if you are interested in sports stadium tours, with a number of football, cricket, and rugby grounds worth visiting and touring.
Here are 10 of the best stadium tours that you can do in London!
1. Wembley Stadium Tour
About Wembley
Home to English football since 1923, Wembley Stadium boasts a capacity of 90,000 people, making it one of the largest stadiums in Europe.
The stadium underwent a major redevelopment between 2002 and 2007, transforming it into one of the most technologically advanced stadiums in the world.
The redevelopment included a retractable roof, new seating, enhanced acoustics, and improved hospitality facilities.
The iconic arch that stands proudly above the stadium is a testament to this transformation and serves as a reminder of Wembley Stadium’s rich history.
Wembley Stadium is home to some of the world’s biggest and most important football matches.
It hosts the FA Cup Final, England International games, Champions League Finals, and other major football tournaments. In addition, it also regularly hosts music concerts from some of the world’s biggest stars.
The Stadium Tour
Get an exclusive behind-the-scenes stadium tour and explore the home of English football. See the stadium’s dressing room, players’ tunnel, dugouts, press conference area, and much more.
2. Emirates Stadium Tour
About the Emirates Stadium
The Emirates Stadium is home to the English Premiership football side, Arsenal, and is located in North London in Holloway.
With a capacity of just over 60,000, it is presently the third-largest football stadium in England after Wembley Stadium and Old Trafford and is the fourth tallest in Europe.
The construction of Emirates Stadium began in 2004 and opened three years later in July 2006 with an official opening ceremony featuring a friendly match between Arsenal and Dutch team Ajax Amsterdam.
The Emirates Stadium is a multi-purpose venue that has hosted many major events including the FA Cup Final in 2014 and 2015, international football matches, and several concerts.
In 2010, Arsenal announced they had signed a £150 million sponsorship deal with Emirates Airlines which saw the rebranding of the stadium as “The Emirates Stadium”.
Emirates Stadium Tours
The stadium tour is an exclusive behind-the-scenes stadium tour that includes the chance to see:
- the player’s dressing room
- players’ tunnel
- dugouts
- press conference area
- and a walk through the inside of the stadium
>> Book Emirates Stadium tours
3. Chelsea FC Stadium Tour – Stamford Bridge
About Stamford Bridge
Stamford Bridge originally opened in 1877 and has been the home of Chelsea Football Club since it was bought by the club’s founder, Gus Mears, and his brother Joseph in 1904.
The stadium is located in west London and has a capacity of over 40,000 people. It’s seen some of the greatest moments in English football history, including Chelsea’s first Premiership title win in 1955 and their UEFA Champions League victory in 2012.
Over the years, Stamford Bridge has undergone numerous renovations to ensure it remains a modern stadium for spectators.
In the 1990s, two stands were replaced with all-seater stands, and further improvements were made in 1998 when the Shed End stand was replaced.
Stamford Bridge Stadium Tours
The Stamford Bridge tour includes a chance to explore behind the scenes of this iconic stadium, and the opportunity to visit the museum and get up close to the trophy cabinet.
Your tour guide will take you through every corner of this historic ground, explaining its history, culture, and significance over the years.
>> Book a Stamford Bridge tour
4. The Oval Cricket Ground
About the Oval
The Oval is a cricket ground in London, England, and the home of Surrey County Cricket Club.
It was opened in 1845 and since then has hosted both international and domestic cricket matches.
The venue has been host to some of the most exciting moments in cricket including the first-ever Test match to be played outside of England (in 1880).
Additionally, The Oval held the first-ever One Day International match, as well as being the venue for the first-ever Twenty20 match.
The Oval also houses one of cricket’s most iconic images – the ‘Ashes’ trophy presented to England after their victory over Australia in 1883.
The Ashes trophy is displayed proudly at The Oval and is part of the rich history of cricket at this venue.
In 2013, The Oval underwent a major redevelopment which included improved seating areas, new hospitality facilities, and enhanced media and broadcast infrastructures.
This renovation also saw an increase in capacity to accommodate up to 25,000 spectators.
The Oval is now widely considered to be one of the premier cricket venues in the world.
The Oval Tour
The tour includes:
- a fully guided 90-minute tour of the stadium and behind the scenes
- the chance to stand in the members’ pavilion (where tea and coffee are provided)
>> Tickets for an Oval Stadium tour
5. West Ham United Olympic Stadium Tour
About the Stadium
Located in Stratford, London, West Ham United Football Club’s home ground is the Olympic Stadium.
It was built for the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics and has been extensively refurbished to the specifications of the football club since then.
The stadium can now hold 60,000 spectators, making it one of the largest football stadiums in London.
Tours of the Olympic Stadium
Visit one of London’s most iconic stadiums on a 90-minute tour. See areas including the stadium’s dressing rooms and enjoy amazing views from the East Stand.
6. Lord’s Cricket Ground
About Lord’s Cricket Ground
Lord’s Cricket Ground (often also known as just Lord’s), is one of the most iconic and well-known cricket venues in the world.
Located in St John’s Wood, London, it has been the home of cricket since 1814 and is often referred to as “the Home of Cricket”.
It is home to Middlesex County Cricket Club and it hosts a number of major cricket events annually, including Test Matches, One Day Internationals (ODIs), and T20 matches, as well as hosting international matches between England and other touring teams.
Lord’s Stadium Tours
Lord’s has its own museum which displays memorabilia from the ground’s long history of international cricket, and you can explore behind-the-scenes areas, learn about the stadium’s history and visit the dressing rooms.
7. Twickenham Stadium Tour
About the Stadium
Twickenham Stadium, located in London, England, is the largest rugby stadium in the world.
With a capacity of 82,000 people, it is the home stadium for the English Rugby Union and also hosts major international rugby union matches.
The stadium has been hosting events since 1909 and it’s undergone numerous expansions throughout its lifetime to provide additional seating capacity and facilities.
Tours of Twickenham
Experience a unique guided stadium tour of Twickenham Stadium – home of English rugby union. Explore behind-the-scenes areas including the England team dressing room, players’ tunnel, and much more.
8. White Hart Lane Stadium Tour
About the Stadium
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, located in North London, is the home ground for Spurs football club, who play in the Premiership.
The stadium was opened in April 2019 and was designed by Populous and took three years to construct at a cost of £1 billion and has a capacity of just over 62,000.
The stadium is a multi-purpose venue, hosting NFL games as well as music concerts and other events.
The stadium is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including a fully retractable pitch and an automated beer dispensing system that ensures drinks are served quickly.
The Stadium Tour
Explore Tottenham Hotspur Football Club’s stadium on a stadium tour of White Hart Lane. Visit areas such as the stadium’s museum, press conference area, and stadium store.
9. Craven Cottage Stadium Tour
The Stadium
Craven Cottage Stadium is a historic football stadium located in Hammersmith, London.
It is currently the home of Fulham F.C., who have been playing at Craven Cottage since 1896.
Today, the stadium holds a capacity of over 25,500 and is known for its unique atmosphere and passionate fan base.
The stadium itself has a long history dating back to 1780 when it was first used as a private villa by William Craven, the 6th Baron Craven.
It was then sold in 1805 to the Dukes of Bedford, whose family still owns the estate today.
The stadium was converted into a football ground in 1896 when Fulham F.C. moved in after their previous home, Stranraer’s Ground, was closed down by its owners.
The Stadium Tour
Visit Fulham Football Club’s home stadium on a stadium tour of Craven Cottage.
Explore behind-the-scenes areas, visit the stadium’s museum, and take in some amazing views from the pitchside seats.
>> Craven Cottage Stadium tour
10. The Valley Stadium Tour
The Stadium
Charlton Athletic Football Club’s home ground, The Valley Stadium in South-East London, has been hosting games since 1919.
It is one of the oldest professional football grounds in the world and its history is acclaimed across England and beyond.
The stadium began with a capacity of 25,000 spectators and underwent significant renovations over the years, increasing the capacity to over 40,000.
The ground was even used for greyhound racing up until 1988.
The Tour
If you want to tour and see one of the more traditional English stadiums, whilst in London, the Valley Parade tour is worth considering.
Sports Travel Booking Resources
Traveling around the world to watch & experience sports, I tend to always use the same resources for booking trips. These are the ones I use most frequently and that I find to have great customer support and competitive prices.
- Sports Event Tickets – Tickets for all sporting events
- Get Your Guide – is an excellent site as a one-stop shop for booking attractions, local tours, activities, and excursions. Great customer service and an easy-to-use site.
- Booking.com – The best site I have found for hotel and accommodation bookings.
- Flights – are also now offered by booking.com and as I love the brand this is my first port of call now for flights.
- Safety Wing Travel Insurance – I love Saftey Wing as they cover everything I need to be covered and they have a simple-to-use site, and again, I have found their customer service very good, when I needed to ask questions.
- Hostelworld – Book backpacker hostel rooms around the world with Hostel World.
