The Old Wembley Stadium, home of English football between 1923 and 2000, was recognized as one of the greatest stadiums in the world. A brand new stadium controversially replaced this iconic football venue in 2007. The destruction of the much loved home of football meant the new stadium would have a lot to live up to.
Old Wembely Stadium
Situated in the north west of London, in the borough from which it takes its name, Wembley Stadium was originally known as the Empire Stadium. Designed by architects Sir John Simpson and Maxwell Ayrton the stadium was constructed to be the centerpiece of the 1924 British Empire Exhibition. Its most notable feature, the distinctive twin towers, became a local landmark and symbol of English football. As the home of the national team the historic stadium witnessed many historic events, most notably being the venue England’s victorious World Cup final in 1966.
Old Wembley Stadium Facts And Figures
- Opened: 1923
- Closed: 2000
- Seated Capacity: 82,000 (After modernization in the 1990’s)
- Official Record Attendance: 126,047 (Although around 240,000 were believed to be present for the 1923 FA Cup Final)
- Events Held At The Stadium: World Cup Final 1966, European Championship Final 1996, Olympics 1948, Five European Cup Finals (1963, 68, 71, 78, 92), The FA Cup Final (1923-2000)
The Need For A New Wembley Stadium
By the year 2000 the obviously outdated Old Wembley Stadium was nearing 80 years old, and in need of drastic redevelopment or demolition. After much confusion and protest a decision was taken by the English FA to tear down the old stadium and to start a fresh. Many fans hoped that the iconic twin towers would be incorporated into the new design; however, in the end they were demolished. The project to build a new stadium was plagued by financial and political issues that resulted in the delayed scheme taking seven years to complete.
New Wembley Stadium
- Opened: 2007
- Seated Capacity: 90,000 (Second biggest capacity in Europe)
- Height: 133 meters (The tallest stadium in the world)
The unveiling of the stadium ended the controversy surrounding the project as the New Wembley was unanimously acclaimed as a success. Designed by Stirling Prize winning firm Foster and Partners the undeniably majestic arena’s main feature is a soaring 133-meter high steel arch. The Wembley Arch, which is visible from miles around, immediately became instantly identifiable with English football, in much the same way the twin towers had been.
The New Wembley Stadium is undoubtedly a worthy successor to the stadium it replaced and hopefully it will become an equally distinguished home for England’s national football team. The stadium will host the 2011 Champions League Final, Football at 2012 Olympics and, if England is successful in its bid to host the 2018 World Cup, the New Wembley Stadium may also witness England winning the World Cup.
Tom Ravenscroft - Tom Ravenscroft is a freelance journalist and academic who currently resides in the UK. Though he feels particularly educated in ...
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