Hampden Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Hampden Park

Scottish Gaelic: Pàirc Hampden
Scotland's national stadium
Official logo of Hampden Park
Exterior view of Hampden Park, June 2024 UEFA
Hampden Park Location in Glasgow council area
Full name	Hampden Park
Location	Mount Florida, Glasgow, Scotland
Coordinates	55°49′33″N 4°15′7″W / 55.82583°N 4.25194°W / 55.82583; -4.25194
Public transit	Mount Florida King's Park Buchanan
Parking	Parking available on site
Owner	Scottish Football Association
Executive suites	3
Capacity	51,866 (football) 44,000 (athletics)
Record attendance	149,547 (Scotland v. England, 17 April 1937)
Field size	115 yd × 75 yd (105 m × 69 m)
Surface	Natural grass surface
Construction
Opened	31 October 1903; 121 years ago (1903-10-31)
Renovated	1999; 26 years ago (1999)
Architect	Jim Clydesdale (1999)
Tenants
Queen's Park F.C. (1903–2021; 2023–2025) Scotland national team (1906–present) Glasgow Tigers (1969–1972) Celtic F.C. (1994–1995) Scottish Claymores (1998–2004) Rangers F.C. (2024)

Hampden Park is a famous football stadium in Glasgow, Scotland. It is known as the national stadium for football in Scotland and is the home ground for the Scotland national football team. It was also the home of Queen's Park F.C., the club that originally owned it.

The Scottish Football Association (SFA) now owns Hampden Park. Many important matches, like the final stages of the Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup, are played here. When it first opened in 1903, Hampden Park was the biggest stadium in the world by capacity, a title it held until 1950. Today, it is the second-largest football stadium in Scotland.

Hampden Park is a top-rated stadium by UEFA, meaning it's suitable for major European games. It has hosted six European finals, including the 1960 European Cup final. That game had an amazing crowd of 127,621 people, which is still the highest attendance ever for a European Cup final!

The stadium also holds the offices for the Scottish Football Association and the Scottish Professional Football League. Besides football, Hampden Park has hosted other big sports events. These include the 2012 Olympic Games and the 2014 Commonwealth Games, where it also held the closing ceremony. It was one of the host stadiums for the Euro 2020 football tournament and will host matches for the upcoming Euro 2028.

The stadium opened on October 31, 1903, and could hold over 100,000 fans. Between 1927 and 1937, its capacity grew to a huge 150,000. The record attendance of 149,415, for a Scotland versus England match in 1937, is still a European record for an international football game. Later, new safety rules meant the capacity had to be reduced to 81,000 in 1977. The stadium has been fully updated since then, with the most recent big changes finished in 1999. For the 2014 Commonwealth Games, Hampden Park was changed to include a running track and other features needed for athletics.

History of Hampden Park

The Three Hampden Stadiums

The remains of Cathkin Park, which was the site of the second Hampden Park.

Hampden Park in the early 1900s

Queen's Park F.C., Scotland's oldest football club, first played at a stadium called Hampden Park on October 25, 1873. This first ground was named after a nearby area. It hosted the very first Scottish Cup Final in 1874 and a Scotland vs. England match in 1878.

The club later moved to a second Hampden Park, which was very close to the first one. They had to move because a new railway line was planned to go through the old stadium's area. The second Hampden Park opened in October 1884. It often hosted the Scottish Cup Final, but some big games, like the Scotland vs. England match in 1894, were also played at Celtic Park.

In the late 1890s, Queen's Park wanted more land to make the second Hampden Park bigger. When their request was turned down, the club looked for a new place. They bought 12 acres of land in November 1899. Famous architect James Miller designed two main stands, and Archibald Leitch designed the terraced areas for fans. Building the new stadium took over three years. During this time, a sad event happened at Ibrox Stadium where part of the wooden stands collapsed. Because of this, the new Hampden terraces were built very strongly into the ground, and new ways were used to manage the crowds safely.

Third Lanark A.C. took over the second Hampden Park in 1903 and renamed it Cathkin Park. They had to rebuild it because Queen's Park took their pavilion and other parts they owned. Third Lanark even played some of their home games at the new Hampden while Cathkin Park was being worked on. Third Lanark stopped existing in 1967, and Cathkin Park is now a public park where you can still see parts of the old terraces.

The first match at the current Hampden Park was on October 31, 1903. Queen's Park beat Celtic 1–0 in a league game. The first Scottish Cup Final at the new stadium was in 1904, a match between two big Glasgow clubs, which brought in a record Scottish crowd of 64,672. In April 1906, 102,741 people watched Scotland play England there, making Hampden the main home for the Scotland team. Hampden Park was the largest stadium in the world from its opening until the Maracanã stadium opened in 1950. At that time, Glasgow was home to three of the world's biggest football stadiums: Hampden, Celtic Park, and Ibrox.

Amazing Crowds and Records

Celtic F.C. playing against AFC Ajax in 1971.

More and more people came to games in the early 1900s. In 1908, 121,452 fans watched Scotland play England. The two Old Firm matches for the 1909 Scottish Cup Final had a total of 131,000 spectators. After the second match ended in a draw, there was some trouble because fans were confused about what would happen next. They thought extra time should be played. Because of this, the Scottish Football Association decided not to use Hampden for the Scottish Cup Final for a while.

Queen's Park made many improvements to the stadium after the 1909 incident. A new world record crowd of 127,307 came to see Scotland play England in 1912. A fire in 1914 destroyed the pavilion, which was replaced by a new building with a press box on the roof. The Scottish Cup Final returned to Hampden in 1920, with 95,000 people watching Kilmarnock win.

Record crowds continued to attend matches, including the 1925 Scottish Cup Final and the 1927 Scotland vs. England game. Hampden became the main place for the Scottish Cup Final after 1925. Queen's Park bought more land in 1923, and 25,000 more places were added to the terraces with strong safety barriers in 1927.

World record crowds watched Scotland play England in 1931 and 1933. In 1933, Austria became the first foreign national team to play at Hampden. After safety concerns were raised in 1935, Hampden was chosen to be the official venue for Scotland vs. England matches and the Cup Final. This led to improvements in transport and other facilities around the stadium. These changes increased the stadium's official capacity to 183,388 in 1937, though only 150,000 tickets were sold for games. The 1937 Scotland vs. England match had an official attendance of 149,415, but many more people entered without tickets. A week later, the 1937 Scottish Cup Final between Celtic and Aberdeen had an official crowd of 147,365, which was a world record for a club match until 1963.

Hampden During Wartime

During the Second World War, large gatherings at stadiums were stopped because of fears of air attacks. Scottish football leagues and cup competitions were paused, and regional competitions took their place. Attendance was limited to half capacity. In May 1940, 75,000 people attended a wartime cup final, which was the maximum allowed. A government official once asked for the Hampden pitches to be ploughed for growing vegetables, but Queen's Park ignored the order, and it wasn't enforced. Wartime international matches were still played at Hampden, and 91,000 people saw Scotland beat England 5–4 in April 1942.

Post-War Football at Hampden

After the Second World War ended in 1945, Hampden hosted Scotland matches more often. Before the war, it had only hosted a few international games. After the war, many people wanted to watch football, and Hampden was the only stadium big enough. A fire on December 25, 1945, damaged the stadium's press box and offices. The press box was replaced with a simpler structure. The new Scottish League Cup also added more games to Hampden's schedule.

The stadium's official capacity was reduced to 135,000 after a stadium accident in England in March 1946, to ensure public safety. However, before this change was confirmed, 139,468 people watched a Scotland vs. England match in April 1946.

In 1947, a special match between a Great Britain team and a Rest of Europe team was played at Hampden, with 130,000 people attending. Scotland also played its first FIFA World Cup qualification match at Hampden in November 1949, winning 2–0 against Wales.

In May 1953, the Coronation Cup was held in Glasgow to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Celtic won the final against Hibernian, with 117,060 fans watching. Scotland also hosted the famous "Magical Magyars" team from Hungary in December 1954, with 113,506 fans watching a great game, which Scotland lost 4–2. Scotland qualified for the 1958 FIFA World Cup by beating Spain at Hampden.

Hampden in the 1960s and 1970s

Aberdeen and Rangers teams line up before the 1978 Scottish Cup Final at Hampden.

Hampden hosted the 1960 European Cup Final, where Real Madrid famously beat Eintracht Frankfurt 7–3 in front of 130,000 people. Floodlights were installed in 1961. The stadium also hosted the European Cup Winners' Cup finals in 1962 and 1966. In 1970, Celtic played a European Cup semi-final against Leeds United at Hampden, moving it from their own stadium to fit more fans. A record 136,505 people, the most ever for a UEFA competition match, watched Celtic win.

A fire was started in the south stand in October 1968, damaging offices and seats. After a tragic stadium accident at Ibrox in January 1971, new laws were made to improve safety at sports grounds. This meant stadiums had to get licenses, separate crowds, and limit how many people could attend. Hampden's capacity was reduced to 81,000.

Scotland secured their place in the 1974 FIFA World Cup at Hampden, beating Czechoslovakia 2–1. In 1979, the talented 18-year-old Diego Maradona scored a goal for world champions Argentina in a friendly match at Hampden, which Argentina won 3–1.

Modernizing Hampden: The 1990s

Exterior of Hampden's South Stand, which was opened in 1999.

By the late 1970s, Hampden's facilities needed updating. As an amateur club, Queen's Park couldn't afford the work alone. After some public support and small repairs, the stadium stayed open in the 1980s. Following some trouble after the 1980 Scottish Cup Final, alcohol was banned from football stadiums in Scotland.

The first phase of rebuilding started in 1981 and finished in 1986. This involved removing the North Stand, paving all the terraces, and building new turnstiles. This work cost £3 million and reduced the capacity to 74,370. More plans were made, but a new report on stadium safety meant they had to be changed, and the costs went up to £25 million. Scotland hosted the 1989 FIFA U-16 World Championship, with the Scottish team playing in the final at Hampden. In 1987, the old square goalposts, used since the stadium opened, were banned by FIFA.

After the annual Scotland vs. England match was cancelled in 1989, people wondered if Scotland still needed its own national stadium. However, a committee decided that Hampden should remain the national stadium. In 1991, the West Terrace was converted to seats.

The UK Government gave £3.5 million in 1992, allowing a £12 million project to begin, turning Hampden into an all-seater stadium. The last match played in front of standing terraces was the 1992 Scottish League Cup Final. Within a year, the east and north parts of the stadium had seats, and the partly rebuilt Hampden reopened for a friendly match between Scotland and the Netherlands in March 1994. At this point, Hampden's total capacity was about 37,000. While Celtic Park was also being rebuilt, Celtic played their home games at Hampden during the 1994–95 season.

The final stage of the renovation started in November 1997, costing £59 million, partly funded by the National Lottery. The South Stand was replaced, and the stadium fully reopened for the 1999 Scottish Cup Final. The stadium now has a capacity of 51,866. Queen's Park kept ownership of the ground, and the SFA had a lease until 2020.

Recent History of Hampden

Hampden hosted the 2007 UEFA Cup final.

Hampden Park from the south–west carpark.

Real Madrid won again when Hampden Park hosted the 2002 UEFA Champions League Final, beating Bayer Leverkusen. Zinedine Zidane scored a famous winning goal. Hampden then hosted the 2007 UEFA Cup Final and was a venue for football at the 2012 Summer Olympics. It hosted three men's matches and five women's matches. One match was delayed because the North Korean team protested when the flag of South Korea was mistakenly used for their players. Later in 2012, the Scotland women's national football team played at Hampden for the first time.

Hampden was temporarily changed into an athletics stadium for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. It hosted its last international football game before this change on November 15, 2013. Queen's Park played their home games at another stadium during this time. The changes for athletics meant removing eight rows of seats, which reduced the capacity to 44,000. After the Commonwealth Games, Hampden was changed back into a football stadium.

SFA Takes Ownership

Interior of Hampden Park pitch, 2018.

With their lease on Hampden ending in 2020, the SFA asked its member clubs where Scotland games should be played. In September 2018, the SFA announced they would buy Hampden from Queen's Park. As part of this deal, Lesser Hampden, a smaller stadium next door, was redeveloped to become Queen's Park's new home. By August 2020, the SFA owned Hampden. Queen's Park played their last match at Hampden on March 20, 2021. Queen's Park is expected to move back into Hampden for the 2023–24 season, renting the stadium from the SFA.

UEFA Euro 2020 Matches

In September 2014, Hampden was chosen as one of 13 stadiums to host matches for the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament. It held three group games and one round of sixteen match. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, attendance was limited to 25% of its capacity.

Date	Time	Team #1	Score	Team #2	Round	Attendance
14 June 2021	14:00	Scotland	0–2	Czech Republic	Group D	9,847
18 June 2021	17:00	Croatia	1–1			5,607
22 June 2021	20:00		3–1	Scotland		9,896
29 June 2021	20:00	Sweden	1–2 (a.e.t)	Ukraine	Round of 16	9,221

Future Plans: Euro 2028

Architects made plans in 2020 for a big redevelopment of Hampden, but this depended on a bid to host the 2030 World Cup, which did not happen. Instead, the SFA joined a five-nation bid to host some UEFA Euro 2028 games at Hampden, which was successful. In July 2023, the SFA also showed interest in hosting a European club final at Hampden in either 2026 or 2027.

The Famous Hampden Roar

Scotland fans inside Hampden Stadium.

The football crowds at Hampden were famous for creating the Hampden Roar. This loud noise was meant to scare opposing teams. When the stadium could hold over 100,000 people, the Roar was very powerful, especially when Scotland scored an important goal. After the stadium was renovated and its capacity was reduced, the roar became a bit quieter.

The Hampden Roar was first noticed in a game against England in 1929. Scotland, playing with ten players for half the game, scored a goal in the last minute. The roar that followed was so loud that a player who was a mile away in a hospital knew Scotland had scored!

The phrase "Hampden Roar" is also used in a fun way in Glasgow. People might ask "What's the Hampden?" which means "What's happening?" or "What's the score?".

In April 2018, a study looked at the noise levels at Hampden during a big match. It found that the noise reached 115 decibels when goals were scored, and 109 decibels when teams first came onto the field. These levels were much higher than those in English Premier League stadiums, but not as high as the world record set at a National Football League match in Kansas City.

Stadium Design and Features

Hampden is a stadium shaped like a bowl, with seats all around. It's divided into four main sections: the North, East, South, and West Stands. Because two big Scottish clubs, Celtic and Rangers, often play cup matches at Hampden, the East and West stands are sometimes called the Celtic and Rangers ends. The East Stand has 12,800 seats. The stands at each end of the stadium are quite far from the pitch, about 140 meters away. This is because Hampden kept its bowl shape after it was rebuilt.

The South Stand is the main part of the stadium. It has the team areas, changing rooms, a warm-up area, special boxes for guests, lounges, and media facilities. It has been sponsored by BT Scotland since 1998. The South Stand is also the only part of the stadium with two levels of seating. The North Stand has 9,100 seats. The total capacity of the stadium for football is 51,866. For the 2014 Commonwealth Games, the capacity was temporarily reduced to 44,000 because a running track was added, which raised the field level.

Panoramic view of Hampden Park during the 2014 Commonwealth Games

The rebuilt Hampden has a top UEFA rating, meaning it's suitable for major international games. The Scottish Football Museum, which opened in 2001, is located inside Hampden. Part of the museum includes the Scottish Football Hall of Fame. The old press box from the original South Stand is also displayed at the museum. The offices of the Scottish Football Association and the Scottish Professional Football League are also found within Hampden.

Lesser Hampden is a smaller football stadium right next to the west end of Hampden Park. It was built in the early 1920s when more land was bought for the main stadium. Lesser Hampden was updated to be used as a warm-up area during the 2014 Commonwealth Games. When the SFA took over Hampden, new stands were built at Lesser Hampden so it could be used as a football stadium again.

Other Uses of Hampden Park

Sports Beyond Football

U2 in concert at Hampden in August 2009. The concert damaged the pitch, causing a football match to be postponed.

Hampden Park hosted the 2014 Commonwealth Games closing ceremony.

The stadium hosted athletics events during the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Hampden Park has hosted four full rugby union international matches. The first was in 1906, when Scotland played the touring South African team. Over 30,000 people watched Scotland win. The rebuilt Hampden was also one of the venues for the 1999 Rugby World Cup. Scotland played Romania there, and South Africa played Uruguay. The only rugby union international since then was in November 2004, between Scotland and Australia.

Hampden also hosted a club rugby union match between Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby in December 2024. Glasgow won in front of a record home crowd for the Warriors.

Hampden hosted the Scottish Amateur Athletics Association championships in the 1920s and 1930s. Famous athlete Eric Liddell won several races there in 1924 and 1925. As mentioned, Hampden was temporarily changed to host the athletics events for the 2014 Commonwealth Games and its closing ceremony.

During the Second World War, American soldiers based in Scotland played games like softball, baseball, and American football at Hampden. American football returned in 1998 when the NFL Europe team Scottish Claymores played some home games there.

Hampden was home to the Glasgow Tigers speedway team from 1969 to 1972. Sadly, a Glasgow Tigers rider was killed during a race at Hampden Park in September 1972.

The rebuilt Hampden was the venue for a boxing event featuring former world champion Mike Tyson in June 2000. The fight ended very quickly, with Tyson knocking down his opponent in just 12 seconds.

Other Events and Concerts

The 50th anniversary gathering of the Boys' Brigade, which started in Glasgow, was held at Hampden in 1933. 130,000 people were inside, and another 100,000 stood outside. American Christian speaker Billy Graham also spoke to a crowd of 100,000 at Hampden in 1955.

Music Concerts at Hampden

Genesis and Paul Young performed in the first concert at Hampden in 1987. The Rolling Stones played there in 1990. Since the stadium was rebuilt in 1999, many famous artists have performed at Hampden. These include Tina Turner, Rod Stewart, Bon Jovi, Eagles, Oasis, George Michael, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Neil Diamond, Take That, AC/DC, Bruce Springsteen, Coldplay, Pink, Paul McCartney, Rihanna, The Stone Roses, Gerry Cinnamon, and Beyoncé. A U2 concert in August 2009 damaged the pitch, causing a Queen's Park football match to be postponed. Ed Sheeran was the first artist to perform at Hampden three times on a single tour.

Hampden's Amazing Records

The highest attendance ever recorded at Hampden for a football match was 149,415. This was for a Scotland vs. England game in 1937. This is still a European record for an international match! The 1937 Scottish Cup Final between Celtic and Aberdeen had an official crowd of 147,365, which was a world record for a club match at the time. Hampden set world attendance records in 1937 that have only been beaten by the Maracanã stadium in Brazil. It still holds all the major European records. For example, the European Cup match between Celtic and Leeds United in 1970 was watched by 136,505 people, a record for a UEFA competition.

Since Hampden was rebuilt in 1999, the capacity for sports events is now 51,866. However, more people can attend concerts because they are allowed on the pitch area. In 2009, more people went to concerts at Hampden than to football matches.

Getting to Hampden Park

The closest train stations are Mount Florida and King's Park. Both stations have trains from Glasgow Central. There are also several bus routes that go near Hampden. The stadium has a car park behind the south stand, but for big events, you usually need a special permit to park there.

See also

In Spanish: Hampden Park para niños

• Stadium relocations in Scottish football
• European club finals held at Hampden