UK Stadiums: London Stadium, East London
London Stadium in Stratford, East London is the home of West Ham United FC and former site of the 2012 London Olympics.
The multi-purpose venue was designed as the centerpiece of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. It was reconfigured after the Games and is now a premier destination for a variety of sporting and cultural events including concerts.
Capacity
London Stadium has a capacity of 62,500 making it one of the largest grounds in the Premier League.
The arena utilizes a continuous bowl design for its seating rather than separate, traditional stands. While it has lower and upper tiers, they are connected throughout the stadium, creating a uniform, rounded appearance, especially in the upper tier.
History
The stadium opened in 2012 in time for the London Olympics after four years of construction work.
The Olympic venue was designed by architecture firm Populous (formerly HOK Sport) with building work by Sir Robert McAlpine.
Populous also led the redesign to convert it into a permanent home for West Ham United and UK Athletics.
The roof is the longest cantilevered roof of its type in the world (84 meters at its deepest point), supported by a network of 930 tonnes of steel cables and 112 steel rafters. The structure includes 9,900 panels, featuring a mix of solid sections and transparent sections to allow light onto the pitch. In 2025, the roof was covered with 6,500 square meters of solar panels, designed to generate 850,000 kWh annually.
At the end of the 2015-2016 season West Ham United moved into their new home.
The Hammers
Nicknamed 'The Hammers' or 'The Irons' the present club's forerunners were Ironworks FC, hence the name. They were formed in 1895 and played at the Memorial Recreation Ground before their move to the Boleyn Ground (Upton Park) in 1904 after becoming West Ham United in 1900.
The club joined the Southern League and later became a founding member of the Football League Third Division in 1920, earning promotion to the First Division in 1923 - the same year they appeared in the first FA Cup final at Wembley. During the interwar years, West Ham established themselves as a competitive side in English football, developing a reputation for producing talented players and maintaining strong support in East London, before league football was suspended with the outbreak of World War II in 1939.
After World War II, West Ham rebuilt and rose to prominence under manager Ron Greenwood, winning the FA Cup in 1964 and the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1965, with stars like Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst, and Martin Peters forming the backbone of England's 1966 World Cup triumph.
The club added another FA Cup in 1980 and enjoyed a strong league finish in 1986, but the following decades brought inconsistency, including several relegations and promotions. In the modern era, West Ham have re-established themselves in the Premier League and a major European success with victory in the 2023 UEFA Europa Conference League Final under manager David Moyes, marking their first major trophy in over 40 years.
Mention should be made of Clyde Best, who made a hugely important contribution to West Ham United in the late 1960s and early 1970s, both on and off the pitch. As one of the first black players to establish himself in English top-flight football, he showed remarkable strength and resilience in the face of racial abuse, earning deep respect from teammates and fans alike. On the field, he was a powerful and energetic striker, scoring crucial goals and providing a physical presence in attack that complemented the club's more technical players. Beyond his performances, Best's legacy lies in helping pave the way for greater diversity in English football, making him a significant figure in West Ham's history.
West Ham Managers
Ron Greenwood was the architect of West Ham's golden era in the 1960s, leading the club to FA Cup success in 1964 and the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1965. He also developed a side that formed the backbone of England's 1966 World Cup-winning team, establishing a legacy of technical, attacking football.
John Lyall continued Greenwood's work with great success and loyalty, winning two FA Cups in 1975 and 1980. He also guided the club to their highest-ever league finish of third place in 1986, cementing his place as one of West Ham's most respected figures.
Harry Redknapp revitalized West Ham during the 1990s by promoting exciting young talent and playing attractive football. Under his leadership, players like Rio Ferdinand and Frank Lampard emerged, and the club achieved consistent top-half Premier League finishes.
Slaven Bilić oversaw one of West Ham's most exciting recent seasons, guiding them to a seventh-place Premier League finish in 2015-16. His team's performances made their final season at Upton Park especially memorable for supporters.
Alan Pardew played a key role in West Ham's mid-2000s resurgence, leading them to promotion in 2005 and the FA Cup final in 2006 (lost on penalties to Liverpool at the Millennium Stadium). His tenure helped re-establish the club in the Premier League during a transitional period.
David Moyes brought stability and modern success to West Ham, particularly during his second spell in charge. He led the club to victory in the 2023 UEFA Europa Conference League, ending a decades-long wait for major silverware and restoring their presence in European competition.
Present coach Nuno Espírito Santo was appointed in September 2025 after the departure of Graham Potter and is struggling to keep the club in the Premier League in the 2025-2026 season.
Honours
FA Cup winners: 1963-64, 1974-75, 1979-80
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1964-65
UEFA Europa Conference League 2022-23
Football League Second Division 1957-58, 1980-81
Fun Facts
The Hammers' primary mascot is Hammerhead, a robot-like character with a large hammer for a head, designed to represent the club's "Ironworks" heritage.
West Ham played in the very first Wembley FA Cup final against Bolton Wanderers in the so-called 'White Horse Final' of 1923. The game was famous for being delayed by a massive crowd, which was cleared by a white horse named Billie.
The captain of England's 1966 World Cup-winning team, Bobby Moore, and goalscorers Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters, were all West Ham players at the time.
West Ham was the last team to win the FA Cup with an all-English lineup (1975) and the last team from outside the top flight to win it (1980).
Celebrity West Ham fans have included actors Ray Winstone, Danny Dyer, Keira Knightley (who rose to fame in the film Bend it Like Beckham), Elijah Wood, and Matt Damon, along with television host James Corden. Other notable supporters include singer Pixie Lott and Iron Maiden bassist Steve Harris. The Harry Potter character Dean Thomas is also a fan of West Ham United, with a poster of the team hanging over his bed in Gryffindor Tower.
Club legend Trevor Brooking was named "Hammer of the Year" five times.
Millwall Rivalry
Millwall are considered West Ham United's biggest rivals, known as the "Dockers derby" due to their fans having shared roots in East London's docklands trade.
The rivalry between West Ham United and Millwall is one of the most notorious in British football, rooted in the history of hooliganism. It has been chronicled in books and films that explore the clashes between the clubs' infamous hooligan firms, the Inter City Firm and Mile End Boys for West Ham, and the Millwall Bushwackers.
Violence has flared sporadically over the years, including the death of a Millwall supporter in 1976 and a West Ham fan in 1986. One of the most infamous incidents occurred during the 2009 Upton Park riot, when disorder around West Ham's ground left numerous fans injured and a Millwall supporter stabbed before kickoff. In response, the 2011-12 fixtures between the two clubs were heavily policed with London-wide operations to ensure safety. These intense London rivals have not met since, as they have largely operated in different divisions.
Other significant rivalries include fellow London clubs Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, alongside smaller London rivals like Leyton Orient.
Club Legends & Cult Heroes
Since the 1960s club icons must include club captain and defensive linchpin Bobby Moore who captained England to World Cup glory in 1966, Geoff Hurst who scored the hat-trick that won the cup and "the ghost" Martin Peters who also scored in the final at Wembley.
Trevor Brooking notched the winning goal in the 1980 FA Cup final and made over 500 appearances for the club. Teammate Billy Bonds is the record appearance holder for the club with 663.
Frank Lampard Sr. was a consistent left-back through the 70s and 80s as was Alvin Martin, a rock-solid centre-back.
Midfielder Mark Noble embodied loyalty and leadership over nearly two decades from 2004-2022 playing over 470 times and scoring over 50 goals.
Tony Cottee was a prolific goal scorer in the 1980s with Michail Antonio having the most goals for the club in the Premier League era.
Of the foreign players to have represented The Hammers, Paolo Di Canio is remembered for his flair and over 50 goals and France's Dimitri Payet for his contributions during the last season at Upton Park (2015-2016). Carlos Tevez did not stay long but his goals kept the club in the Premiership in the 2006-07 season along with assistance from fellow Argentine Javier Mascherano.
Polish keeper Lukasz Fabianski was one of the club's most consistent modern performers and won multiple Player of the Year awards. Honorable mentions, too, to Marko Arnautovic, Brazilian Lucas Paquetá and Israeli international Yossi Benayoun.
West Ham's all time record goal-scorer is Vic Watson with 326 goals ahead of Geoff Hurst with 249.
Museum & Stadium Tours
There are guided and multimedia tours of the London Stadium. The 60-75 minute tours feature visits to the changing rooms, player's tunnel, pitch side areas, and panoramic views, with ticket prices starting from around £14.
Access - Getting To London Stadium
London Stadium is located in East London in the London Borough of Newham, situated within Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, 10 km east of central London.
Stratford Station, just a 12-minute walk away, is on the London Underground (Jubilee and Central lines), the DLR, and also National Rail. Additionally, the venue is also within easy walking distance of Westfield Stratford City.
Buses that stop near Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park include the 388 (Blackfriars to Stratford City), 308 (Clapton to Wanstead), 339 (Leytonstone to Shadwell), and D8 (Crossharbour to Stratford International).
Stratford bus station is a 20-minutes walk way. The following buses stop here also: the 25, 86, 97, 104, 108, 158, 241, 257, 262, 276, 308, 425, and 473.
Address: Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford, London, E20 2ST.
Accessibility
London Stadium provides accessible facilities for disabled supporters, including over 260 accessible viewing spaces, level, step-free access across all concourses, and dedicated accessible lifts. The stadium also has numerous RADAR-key operated toilets, Changing Places facilities, and over 50 accessible parking spaces. Accessible, lowered-counter ticket windows are located at the West Ham United Ticket Office.
Nearby Hotels
Nearby hotels are clustered near Stratford Station. These include the ibis London Stratford and also the Hyatt Regency London Stratford.
See a listing of hotels in London.
More UK Stadiums
Kirklees Stadium (John Smith's Stadium)
Images of London Stadium
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