Few things beat a big match in a full stadium. Getting there and home again is another matter: roads close, trams pack out and taxis vanish at the final whistle. Here are ten of the best stadiums, and a plan for the journey.
Britain gave the world football and rugby, and its stadiums are some of the most famous sporting venues on earth. Many are also used for concerts, which bring their own crowds. On a big day, tens of thousands of people arrive and leave at the same time, and the streets around the ground fill up hours before kick-off. Knowing the lie of the land makes a huge difference.
1. Wembley Stadium, London
The national stadium, with its arch visible for miles. Cup finals, England games and concerts. With room for 90,000 people, it is the largest stadium in the UK.
The new Wembley opened in 2007, on the site of the old stadium, which was famous for its twin towers. The old Wembley hosted the 1966 World Cup final, when England won the trophy for the first time. The new stadium’s arch rises high above north west London.
Wembley is served by three stations: Wembley Park, on the Jubilee and Metropolitan lines, Wembley Stadium, with trains to Marylebone, and Wembley Central. From Wembley Park, Olympic Way leads straight to the stadium. On event days, the stations are extremely busy after the final whistle.
Parking around Wembley is very limited on event days, and many local roads have restrictions. If you are being driven, agree a pickup point a short walk from the stadium, away from the crowds. Allow plenty of time to get away.
2. Old Trafford, Manchester
Manchester United’s home, the Theatre of Dreams, beside the Bridgewater Canal. Old Trafford opened in 1910, and it is the largest club football stadium in the UK. The nickname Theatre of Dreams was coined by Sir Bobby Charlton.
Outside the stadium, the United Trinity statue of George Best, Denis Law and Bobby Charlton stands on Sir Matt Busby Way. The Munich memorial remembers the players and staff who died in the Munich air disaster of 1958, and the clock beside it carries the date of the crash. The club museum and stadium tours tell the story of one of the most famous clubs in the world.
The stadium is in Trafford, south west of Manchester city centre, close to Salford Quays and MediaCityUK. The Old Trafford tram stop, on the Altrincham line, is a short walk away, and the Trafford Park tram line stops close to the stadium too. Both are packed after the final whistle.
Just along the road is Emirates Old Trafford, the home of Lancashire County Cricket Club, where Test matches and concerts are held. On days when both are busy, the area is packed. Plan your journey carefully.
On matchdays, roads around the stadium close before kick-off and after the final whistle, and trams and trains are packed. Agree a pickup point a few streets away, towards Salford Quays or Stretford, rather than at the stadium itself. See our Manchester guide.
3. Etihad Stadium, Manchester
Home of Manchester City, in east Manchester by the tram line. The stadium was built for the 2002 Commonwealth Games, and Manchester City moved in the following year. It has been expanded several times, and it now holds well over 50,000 fans.
The stadium is at the heart of the Etihad Campus, which also includes the National Cycling Centre, with its velodrome, and the club’s training ground and academy. Co-op Live, one of the largest indoor arenas in the UK, opened next door in 2024, and hosts big concerts. On days when both are busy, the area is very crowded.
The Etihad Campus tram stop, on the Ashton line, is right beside the stadium, and the Velopark tram stop is close by. Manchester Piccadilly station is about a mile and a half away, and many fans walk from the city centre. On matchdays, the trams are packed.
Roads around the stadium are busy before and after games, and some close. Agree a pickup point a short walk from the stadium, away from the main crowds. A car booked ahead means you are not left queueing for a tram.
Manchester City’s success in recent years has brought fans from all over the world to the Etihad. Stadium tours and the club museum are open on non-matchdays. See our places to eat in Manchester for before or after the game.
4. Anfield, Liverpool
Liverpool’s home and the Kop, a short ride from the city centre. Liverpool have played at Anfield since 1892. The Kop, the famous stand behind one goal, is known around the world for its singing.
Before every home game, the crowd sings You’ll Never Walk Alone, one of the most moving sights in football. The Shankly Gates remember the great manager Bill Shankly. The Hillsborough memorial remembers the ninety seven fans who died after the Hillsborough disaster in 1989.
Anfield is about two miles north east of Liverpool city centre, next to Stanley Park. On matchdays, buses run from the city centre, and many fans walk from Sandhills or Kirkdale stations. There is no station right beside the ground.
Streets around Anfield are narrow and residential, and they are very busy on matchdays, with parking restrictions. Agree a pickup point a short walk away, away from the crowds. See our Liverpool guide.
5. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
One of the most modern stadiums in Europe, also used for NFL games and concerts. It opened in 2019, on the site of Tottenham’s old ground, White Hart Lane. It holds more than 62,000 fans.
The stadium has a retractable pitch, which slides away to reveal an artificial pitch below for American football games and concerts. Its single-tier South Stand is the largest of its kind in the UK. Visitors can take tours, and even climb onto the roof.
White Hart Lane station, on the London Overground, is a short walk from the stadium. Tottenham Hale and Seven Sisters stations, on the Victoria line, are further away, and many fans walk from them. On event days, the stations are very busy.
Roads around the stadium close on event days, and parking is very limited. Agree a pickup point a short walk away, and allow plenty of time. North London traffic is slow at the best of times.
6. Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Home of Scottish rugby and the biggest stadium in Scotland. Murrayfield holds around 67,000 fans, and it hosts Scotland’s home games in the Six Nations. It is also used for concerts and other big events.
Scotland’s games against England, for the Calcutta Cup, are among the most passionate fixtures in the rugby calendar. The atmosphere, with bagpipes and the singing of Flower of Scotland, is unforgettable. The stadium has hosted Rugby World Cup matches too.
Murrayfield is about two miles west of Edinburgh city centre. The tram stops at Murrayfield Stadium, and Haymarket station is a walk away. On match days, the trams are packed.
Roads around the stadium close before and after big games. Agree a pickup point a short walk away. See our Edinburgh guide.
7. Principality Stadium, Cardiff
Wales’s rugby cathedral, with a roof that closes, in the middle of the city. It opened in 1999, as the Millennium Stadium, for the Rugby World Cup that year. It holds more than 70,000 fans.
The stadium’s retractable roof means it can host events whatever the weather, and it has hosted football, boxing, speedway and concerts, as well as rugby. It hosted the UEFA Champions League final in 2017. The singing of the Welsh national anthem before games is one of the great sounds in sport.
Unusually, the stadium is right in the city centre, on the banks of the River Taff, a short walk from Cardiff Central station. The city’s pubs, restaurants and shops are all around it. On match days, the whole city centre becomes a party.
Roads in the city centre close for big events, so agree a pickup point a short walk away, outside the closures. Trains are packed after games. See our Cardiff guide.
8. Twickenham, London
The home of English rugby in south west London. Twickenham has been the home of English rugby since 1909, and it is the largest rugby union stadium in the world, with room for more than 80,000 fans. Under a sponsorship deal, it is now known as Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.
England’s home games in the Six Nations and the autumn internationals are played here, as well as big club finals. The stadium has a museum of rugby and runs tours. The ground was once a market garden, and it was nicknamed the Cabbage Patch.
Twickenham station, with trains from London Waterloo, is a walk away, and on match days the crowds fill the streets between the station and the ground. Whitton and St Margarets stations are also nearby. After the game, there can be long queues for trains.
Roads around the stadium close on match days, and parking is limited. Agree a pickup point a short walk away. Heathrow is not far, which makes Twickenham easy to reach from abroad.
9. Celtic Park and Ibrox, Glasgow
Two great rival grounds and an atmosphere like nowhere else. Celtic and Rangers, known together as the Old Firm, have one of the oldest and fiercest rivalries in world football. Their meetings are among the most intense matches anywhere.
Celtic Park, in the east end of Glasgow at Parkhead, holds around 60,000 fans, and it is known to fans as Paradise. Dalmarnock station is a short walk away. The Emirates Arena and the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, built for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, are next door.
Ibrox, in Govan on the south side of the River Clyde, is the home of Rangers. Its grand red brick main stand, designed by the architect Archibald Leitch, is a listed building. Ibrox subway station is right beside the ground.
On match days, and especially for Old Firm games, the areas around both grounds are very busy, and roads close. Agree a pickup point a short walk away. See our Glasgow guide.
10. St James’ Park, Newcastle
Newcastle United’s home, perched above the city centre. St James’ Park holds more than 52,000 fans, and it is one of the largest club grounds in England. Its huge stands can be seen from all over the city.
Newcastle fans are among the most passionate in the country, and the atmosphere on match days is famous. The stadium is right in the city centre, a short walk from the shops, pubs and restaurants. On match days, the whole city is black and white.
St James Metro station is right beside the stadium, and Newcastle Central station is a short walk away. Many fans walk from the city centre. After the game, the Metro and the streets are very busy.
Roads around the stadium are busy on match days, and some close. Agree a pickup point a short walk away. See our Newcastle guide.
The matchday plan
Book your car ahead and agree a pickup point a few streets from the ground, away from the road closures. Leave a few minutes before the final whistle, or wait twenty minutes after it and let the crowds thin. The price is fixed when you book, so a slow crawl out of the car park costs you nothing extra.
Check the kick-off time before you book, as television can move matches at short notice. Allow plenty of time to get to the ground, find your seat and soak up the atmosphere. For an away trip, see city to city journeys from Manchester.
Ride with ZeroLanes. A car booked ahead, at a price fixed before you confirm, with the driver and the car on your journey page before pickup. Get a fixed price for the journey.