Wembley Stadium, National sports stadium in Wembley, England
Wembley Stadium is a 90,000-seat football stadium in Wembley, north-west London, designed by Foster + Partners and Populous. Its bowl of red seating surrounds a green pitch, and a white lattice arch with a 315 m span rises 133 m above the roof, carrying most of the roof load. Two partially retractable roof sections cover the east and west ends.
The current structure opened in 2007 and replaced the original 1923 stadium that hosted the 1948 Olympics and the 1966 World Cup final. The new design retained the location of the old grounds while introducing modern construction techniques.
The stadium is owned by the Football Association, whose headquarters are inside it, and it hosts the FA Cup Final, the FA Community Shield and England home matches. The Rugby Football League's Challenge Cup final and NFL London Games are also held here, and the 107 steps from pitch to Royal Box replace the old stadium's 39.
Entry gates generally open a few hours before events begin, giving visitors time to walk through the public concourses. The retractable roof protects all seating from rain and can close within an hour when weather conditions require it.
The supporting arch spans 315 meters (1,033 feet) without intermediate supports, forming the longest single-span roof structure of any stadium worldwide. During evening events, the arch illuminates from within and becomes a landmark visible from miles away.
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