Wembley Stadium
The Wembley Arch rises 133 meters above the pitch, a circular lattice structure with an internal diameter of 7 meters. This single span supports over 75% of the entire roof load for the stadium. The arch spans 315 meters and is tilted 22 degrees off true alignment to accommodate the bowl design. Engineers from Mott MacDonald designed the building services while architects Foster + Partners and HOK Sport shaped the overall form. Australian firm Multiplex managed construction at a cost of £798 million in 2007. Two partially retractable roof structures cover the east and west ends allowing sunlight to reach the grass below. The sliding roof minimizes shadow during matches played between 3 pm and 5 pm from May to June. A platform system was designed to convert the venue for athletics use but would reduce capacity to approximately 60,000 seats. No track and field events have taken place since the conversion requirement became part of lottery funding conditions.
Demolition of the old stadium officially began on the 30th of September 2002 with Twin Towers dismantled that December. Initial plans targeted completion by 2003 but financial disputes caused years of delays. In December 2003 subcontractors Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company warned Multiplex about rising costs before withdrawing from the project. Dutch firm Hollandia replaced them creating new problems for the timeline. Fatal accidents involving carpenter Patrick O'Sullivan led to fines of £150,000 against PC Harrington Contractors in 2004. Steel rafters fell in March 2006 forcing evacuation of 3,000 workers while sewers buckled beneath the site due to ground movement. Builders admitted material risk of missing the May 2007 deadline in February 2006 moving the FA Cup final to Cardiff. The stadium finally opened on the 19th of May 2007 after WNSL paid around £36 million to Multiplex beyond original contract terms. Total project costs including infrastructure redevelopment reached an estimated £1 billion. Concrete foundations of Watkin's Tower were unearthed during excavation revealing a failed rival to the Eiffel Tower.
The first official match at the new stadium occurred on the 24th of March 2007 between England U21s and Italy U21s with 56,700 spectators attending. Giampaolo Pazzini scored the first goal in a FIFA-sanctioned match just 28 seconds into that game. Chelsea won the inaugural FA Cup Final on the 19th of May 2007 defeating Manchester United 1-0 before 89,826 fans. Didier Drogba became the first player to score in the competition at the new venue. England national team played their first competitive senior match against Israel on the 8th of September 2007 ending 3-0. Michael Owen became the first player to score international goals at both old and new stadiums. Germany beat England 2-1 on the 22nd of August 2007 marking the first defeat for England at the new ground. The stadium hosted UEFA Champions League finals in 2011, 2013, and 2024 while also staging Olympic football matches during London 2012. Eight games took place during UEFA Euro 2020 including the final and semi-finals watched by crowds of up to 87,192.
The rugby league Challenge Cup Final returned to Wembley in 2007 with St Helens defeating Catalans Dragons 30-8 before 84,241 spectators. James Roby scored the first official try at the renovated stadium during that match. Saracens set a world record attendance of 83,761 for an Aviva Premiership clash with Harlequins in 2012. New Zealand versus Argentina drew 89,019 fans during the 2015 Rugby World Cup setting another record. The first NFL regular season game played outside North America occurred on the 28th of October 2007 when New York Giants defeated Miami Dolphins 13-10 before 81,176 fans. Eli Manning threw the first touchdown pass at Wembley during that historic matchup. Jacksonville Jaguars became temporary tenants hosting annual games from 2013 through 2019 before extending agreements into 2024. A record crowd of 86,651 attended the Jaguars versus New England Patriots game on the 20th of October 2024. Arizona State and Kansas are scheduled to play college football at the venue in 2026 as part of the Union Jack Classic series.
George Michael headlined the first concert at the new stadium on the 9th of June 2007 while Muse became the first band to sell out the venue across two nights in mid-June. Two charity concerts took place in early July 2007 including the Concert for Diana commemorating Princess Diana's tenth anniversary and Live Earth addressing climate change. U2 performed their 360° tour to 164,244 fans over two nights in August 2009 setting a gross revenue record of nearly US$12 million for Madonna's Sticky and Sweet Tour in 2008. Take That played eight consecutive nights during summer 2011 becoming the fastest selling tour in UK history. Adele drew 98,000 fans to her the 28th of June 2017 concert establishing a stadium record for UK music events before canceling final performances due to vocal injuries. Taylor Swift broke records by scheduling six shows in 2024 surpassing Michael Jackson's previous multi-night record. Coldplay holds the record for most performances with 22 shows spanning multiple tours from 2009 through 2025.
Carl Froch versus George Groves marked Wembley's first boxing event on the 31st of May 2014 drawing 80,000 spectators for the super-middleweight title rematch. Anthony Joshua defeated Wladimir Klitschko on the 29th of April 2017 before approximately 90,000 fans breaking the post-war attendance record for British boxing. Tyson Fury beat Dillian Whyte on the 23rd of April 2022 in front of 94,000 sold-out attendees winning via sixth-round TKO. The stadium hosted Anthony Joshua versus Daniel Dubois on the 21st of September 2024 with Dubois emerging victorious by knockout before a record crowd of 96,000. Oleksandr Usyk defeated Daniel Dubois on the 19th of July 2025 for the Undisputed Championship in front of 90,000 spectators. Tony Khan announced All Elite Wrestling would stage their debut UK event at Wembley on the 27th of August 2023 promoting it as All In London. Bryan Danielson won the AEW World Championship during that August 2024 event marking the first professional wrestling show held at the modern stadium.
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Common questions
When did the demolition of the old Wembley Stadium officially begin?
Demolition of the old stadium officially began on the 30th of September 2002 with Twin Towers dismantled that December. Initial plans targeted completion by 2003 but financial disputes caused years of delays.
Who designed and constructed the new Wembley Stadium?
Engineers from Mott MacDonald designed the building services while architects Foster + Partners and HOK Sport shaped the overall form. Australian firm Multiplex managed construction at a cost of £798 million in 2007.
What was the first official match played at the new Wembley Stadium?
The first official match at the new stadium occurred on the 24th of March 2007 between England U21s and Italy U21s with 56,700 spectators attending. Giampaolo Pazzini scored the first goal in a FIFA-sanctioned match just 28 seconds into that game.
How many times has Wembley Stadium hosted UEFA Champions League finals?
The stadium hosted UEFA Champions League finals in 2011, 2013, and 2024 while also staging Olympic football matches during London 2012. Eight games took place during UEFA Euro 2020 including the final and semi-finals watched by crowds of up to 87,192.
Which concert holds the record for most performances at Wembley Stadium?
Coldplay holds the record for most performances with 22 shows spanning multiple tours from 2009 through 2025. Taylor Swift broke records by scheduling six shows in 2024 surpassing Michael Jackson's previous multi-night record.