Wembley Stadium

The original Wembley Stadium opened its doors in April 1923, so will soon celebrate its centenary. Over the last hundred years, it has fixed itself firmly into the nation’s hearts and minds, thanks to hosting some truly incredible moments in footballing history – including England’s famous World Cup win in 1966 and the nail-biting action of EURO ’96.

Built for the British Empire Exhibition of 1924, Wembley was due to be demolished immediately afterwards. However, businessman and civil servant Sir James Stevenson suggested the stadium stay open, as football had been played on the grounds where it was built since the 1880s. Soon after, King George V officially opened the stadium and the pitch was dubbed the ‘hallowed turf’.

The home of sport
Of course, Wembley is about so much more than football. As the pre-eminent sports and entertainment venue in Britain, it’s hosted a wide range of events from rugby (league and union) to speedway championships, stock car and greyhound racing – and just about everything in between.

The stadium was a venue for the London 2012 Olympics, the 1948 Summer Olympics, and the 2015 Rugby World Cup. It is now an established home of NFL in the UK, and has staged several unforgettable boxing world-title fights.

Magical musical moments
Music is woven into Wembley’s identity too, with the high note arguably being the ‘Live Aid’ multi-act charity concert of 1985. Music fans still regularly fill the stadium to capacity to watch world-class acts such as Ed Sheeran, Madonna, Taylor Swift and Bruce Springsteen.

And as its 100th birthday approaches, you can be certain of one thing: Wembley will continue to witness history-making moments that will remain forever with those lucky enough to say ‘I was there’.

Click here to visit the venue website

Image credit : http://www.arne-mueseler.com CC-BY-SA-3.0