London Stadium facts for kids
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View of the stadium in October 2022
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| Former names |
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| Location | Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford London, E20 |
| Public transit |      Stratford Stratford International Pudding Mill Lane |
| Owner | E20Stadium LLP (London Legacy Development Corporation) (LLDC) |
| Operator | E20Stadium LLP / Stadium 185 Ltd. |
| Capacity |
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| Field size | 105 by 68 metres (114.8 yd × 74.4 yd) |
| Surface | Grass (Desso GrassMaster) Track (Mondotrack/WS, 9 Lanes) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 22 May 2008 |
| Built | 22 May 2008 – 29 March 2011 |
| Opened | 5 May 2012 |
| Renovated | 2013–2016 |
| Construction cost | £486 million (£486 million in 2025 pounds ) £274 million (2013–16 renovations) |
| Architect | Populous (formerly HOK Sport), led by Philip Johnson |
| Project manager | Savills |
| Structural engineer | Buro Happold |
| Services engineer | M-E Engineers |
| General contractor | Balfour Beatty |
| Main contractors | Sir Robert McAlpine |
| Tenants | |
| UK Athletics (2015–present) West Ham United (2016–present) |
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The London Stadium is a huge outdoor sports ground in Stratford, London. It's located in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, about 6 miles (10 km) east of central London. This stadium was built especially for the 2012 Summer Olympics and 2012 Summer Paralympics. During these Games, it was the main place for athletics events and also hosted the amazing opening and closing ceremonies.
After the Olympics, the stadium was changed to be used for many different things. Now, it's mostly the home of the Premier League football club West Ham United. They moved here in 2016 from their old ground, the Boleyn Ground.
Building the stadium started in mid-2007, and the official construction began on 22 May 2008. The first public event at the stadium was in March 2012. It was the finish line for a fun run organised by the National Lottery. For the Olympics, it could hold 80,000 people. After renovations, it reopened in July 2016 with 66,000 seats, but for football matches, the capacity is usually around 62,500.
The stadium has hosted many big events. In 2017, it held both the 2017 IAAF World Championships and the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships. This was the first time both events happened in the same place in the same year! Every year, it also hosts a major athletics event called the London Grand Prix, which is part of the IAAF Diamond League. The stadium also hosted several 2015 Rugby World Cup matches.
Besides sports, the London Stadium is a popular place for concerts, holding up to 80,000 fans. Because of its oval shape and seats that can be moved, it can host other sports like baseball and cricket. In June 2019, it hosted the first regular-season U.S. Major League Baseball (MLB) game in Europe. The famous rivals the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees played a two-game series. MLB returned in June 2023 with the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals, and more games are planned for the future.
For entertainment, The Weeknd's concert tour broke two records at the stadium. It had the most people for a single show (over 80,000) and a total of 159,574 people over two days.
Stadium Design and Building
The London Stadium was designed to be special. It was built quickly and efficiently, using less steel than other Olympic stadiums.
Olympic Stadium Design
When London was trying to win the bid to host the Olympic Games, they showed pictures of a stadium with a roof that looked like muscles. However, there wasn't a final design yet. The government wanted a stadium mainly for athletics that could be taken apart after the Games. Only the lower part would stay as a permanent athletics facility.
On 13 October 2006, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) chose Sir Robert McAlpine and Populous to design and build the new Olympic Stadium. The stadium's design was officially shown on 7 November 2007.
Original Structure Details
Building the stadium started early, in May 2008. It was finished in March 2011, on time and within budget. The athletics track was put in place in October 2011.
The stadium's main athletics area is dug into the ground. Around it are permanent seats for 25,000 people, made of concrete. The natural slope of the land was used in the design. Warm-up and changing areas are built into a lower level. Fans enter the stadium from a higher level, which is even with the top of the permanent seats. A lighter, temporary upper section was added to hold another 55,000 fans.
The stadium has different levels. For the Games, it could hold 80,000 people. The bottom level has 25,000 seats and is made of special concrete that uses less carbon. The stadium used much less steel than the Olympic Stadium in Beijing. It was 75% lighter and used recycled materials. Many building parts were brought by trains and boats instead of trucks.
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During the Olympics, a large wrap covered the outside of the stadium. It was made of polyester and polyethylene and was printed with special inks. The wrap was made of pieces of material that were 20 metres (66 ft) high and 900 metres (980 yd) long. The final design had fabric panels twisted at 90-degree angles, allowing people to enter the stadium at the bottom.
The roof structure covered about two-thirds of the stadium's seats. It was designed to be easily taken apart after the Games. The roof was 70 metres (230 ft) above the field and held 14 lighting towers. These towers had 532 floodlight lamps. The lights were first turned on in December 2010 by Prime Minister David Cameron and London Mayor Boris Johnson. For the Games, the towers had extra lighting and four large video screens.
Stadium Interior Features
The stadium had a nine-lane, 400-metre (440 yd) athletics track. The grass for the field was grown in Scunthorpe and was a mix of different grass seeds. It took 360 rolls of grass to cover the field. The track was designed by an Italian company called Mondo.
The stadium's 80,000 seats had a black-and-white design that matched the London 2012 branding. The lines on the seats pointed towards the finish line on the track. The seats were made in Luton and installed between May and December 2010. During the Games, the stadium had a special lighting system. Small "paddles" with nine LED lights were placed between each seat. These could be controlled to show videos and patterns all around the stadium. This technology was also used for the Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium at the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Playing Surface Details
The red 400-metre (440 yd) athletics track used for the London 2012 Games was put down in August 2011. It had nine lanes and was 13.5 mm (0.53 in) thick. During the Olympic ceremonies, the track was covered to protect it. For the stadium's changes, the track was covered with a plastic sheet and buried under 75 cm (30 in) of soil to protect it during construction for 2015 events.
The original track was removed in early 2016, and a new, improved track was laid in May. Some of the old track was kept to be sold and auctioned to raise money for the stadium. The grass playing field was made longer for the 2015 rugby matches. It was then reseeded with a special hybrid grass pitch, approved for Premier League matches, measuring 105 by 68 metres (115 by 74 yd). This new pitch, with under-soil heating, was ready for West Ham United. For football games, the pitch is surrounded by artificial turf and carpeting that covers the running track.
Stadium Location and Surroundings
The stadium is built on land that used to be industrial, surrounded by several rivers. These rivers are part of the Bow Back Rivers system. This makes the stadium site like an "island" surrounded by water. To build the stadium, a short channel of the Lea River, called Pudding Mill River, was filled in.
Post-Olympic Changes and Upgrades
After the Olympics, the stadium was planned to reopen in August 2015. It would have a capacity of about 50,000 for athletics events. In March 2013, West Ham United was given a 99-year lease to use the stadium. A group called E20 LLP was set up to manage the stadium's changes. The goal was to turn it into a UEFA Category 4 venue that could hold 66,000 people.
The changes included a new roof, special areas for businesses, new toilets, food stalls, and seats that could be moved. West Ham contributed £15 million, and Newham Council added £40 million for the work. The rest of the money came from the LLDC and the British Government. Plans were approved for retractable seating all around the stadium and a new 84-metre (92 yd) transparent roof.
Balfour Beatty was hired to build the new roof for £41 million. Later, they were given a larger contract of £154 million to do all the stadium's transformation work. Imtech G&H received a £25 million contract for electrical and plumbing work. There were some extra costs for strengthening the structure to support the new roof, but West Ham and taxpayers did not have to pay for this.
Work started on 13 August 2013, with 25,000 seats and the grass being removed. The athletics track was covered with a 75 cm (30 in) layer of recycled concrete to protect it. In November 2013, work began to remove the old floodlight panels. In March 2015, 14 new floodlights were installed. Each floodlight panel is 18 metres (59 ft) tall and weighs 45 tonnes (44 long tons). They hang 30 metres (98 ft) above the stadium floor from the roof.
The black-and-white seats from the Olympics were replaced with white, blue, and claret colours, which are West Ham's colours. The new design includes West Ham's name on one stand and crossed hammers on the lower seats. The 2012 shard design was kept on the upper seats but in the new colours. Work continued in 2016 to make the stadium feel like West Ham's home, adding club colours and giant West Ham shirts. A West Ham store and coffee shop opened on 23 June. In February 2019, the East Stand was renamed in honour of Billy Bonds, a famous West Ham player. In April 2019, a claret-coloured pitch surround was added to make it feel more like a football ground.
In February 2020, West Ham announced plans to move some lower-tier seats closer to the pitch. In March 2020, West Ham opened a sensory room for fans, which is a quiet space for people who might find the stadium environment overwhelming. On 6 April 2022, West Ham announced that the capacity for football matches would increase from 60,000 to 62,500. The total capacity for the stadium increased to 68,013.
Community Athletics Track
After the 2012 warm-up track was removed, a new six-lane community track was built next to the south side of the stadium. This track is home to Newham and Essex Beagles Athletic Club and is open for about 250 days a year. The London Marathon Trust helped fund the building of this track.
Stadium History
The London Stadium has a rich history, especially with the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
London 2012 Games
The Olympic Stadium hosted its first public event on 31 March 2012. It was the finish line for the National Lottery Olympic Park Run. Five thousand people, including celebrities and athletes, ran 5 miles (8 km) around Olympic Park. They entered the stadium to the Chariots of Fire theme and ran the last 300 metres (330 yd) on the track.
The stadium also held two warm-up events for the Games in May 2012: the British Universities Athletics Championships and the London Disability Grand Prix. On 5 May, about 40,000 people attended an event called "2012 Hours to Go: An Evening of Athletics and Entertainment." During the London Disability Grand Prix, several athletes set new world records. The stadium also hosted the athletics events of the UK School Games.
The stadium hosted both the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2012 Olympic Games. During the athletics events, David Rudisha broke his own world record for the 800 metres, running it in under 1 minute 41 seconds. The Jamaican men's 4 × 100 metres relay team and United States women's 4 × 100 metres team also set new world records. Several Olympic records were set by athletes like Usain Bolt (100 metres), Renaud Lavillenie (Pole vault), Sally Pearson (100 metres hurdles), and Tatyana Lysenko (Hammer throw).
The stadium also hosted the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2012 Paralympic Games. During the Paralympic Games athletics events, many world records were set by athletes on the track and in the field.
Choosing a Tenant for Post-Olympics Use
After the Olympics, there was a long process to decide who would use the stadium. Many groups were interested, including football clubs, rugby teams, and even baseball leagues.
Two main bids were considered: one from Tottenham Hotspur and AEG, and another from West Ham United and Newham Council. West Ham United wanted to make the stadium their new home. They planned to spend £100 million to change it into a 66,000-capacity venue. This would host international football, athletics, cricket, NFL games, and concerts.
On 11 February 2011, West Ham United and Newham Council were chosen as the preferred bidders. However, Leyton Orient F.C., another football team nearby, complained that West Ham moving in would be too close to their ground and could cause problems for them. After some legal challenges and discussions, the first deal was cancelled due to concerns about fairness and rules.
A new process was started to find a tenant. This time, it was made clear that an athletics track must remain in the stadium. In December 2012, West Ham was again chosen as the preferred bidder. After more negotiations, West Ham United signed a 99-year lease deal on 22 March 2013. The stadium was planned to be their home ground from the 2016–17 season. UK Athletics also got a 50-year deal to use the stadium every year for athletics events.
Some people still felt the deal was unfair because a lot of public money was used for the stadium's changes. However, in September 2015, the government decided not to hold an inquiry. In October 2014, a French company called Vinci SA was chosen to manage the stadium for 25 years, starting in April 2015. They also manage the community track and other events. Vinci set up a special company called London Stadium 185 (LS185) to do this. In January 2019, the London Legacy Development Corporation took over LS185 to manage the stadium directly.
Sports Events at the London Stadium
Even though West Ham United is the main team, the stadium hosts many other exciting sports events.
Athletics Competitions
Anniversary Games
Since 2013, the London Stadium has hosted the London Grand Prix, a major athletics event. It's often called the "Anniversary Games." In 2013, David Weir set a world record for the T54 mile at this event.
The Grand Prix was moved to the stadium permanently in 2016. In 2015, national records were set by Dafne Schippers and Dina Asher-Smith (100 m), and Shara Proctor (long jump). World records were also set by Georgina Hermitage (400 m T37) and Sophie Hahn (100 m T38).
In 2016, Kendra Harrison broke the women's 100 m hurdles world record, which had stood for 28 years! In 2018, Tom Bosworth set a world record in the 3000 metres walk. Kare Adenegan and Sophie Hahn set world record times in other events. The event was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and did not happen in 2021 or 2022. It returned in July 2023.
2017 World Athletics and World Para Athletics Championships
London had wanted to host the 2015 World Athletics Championships but couldn't. With the stadium's future sorted, London successfully bid for the 2017 World Championships in Athletics. The World Para Athletics Championships were also held at the stadium a month before the main event.
The World Para Athletics Championships took place from 14 to 23 July 2017. The IAAF World Championships followed from 4 to 13 August 2017. Over 3,300 athletes from 200 countries competed for medals. These championships were the final track events for famous athletes like Mo Farah and Usain Bolt.
2018 Athletics World Cup
In February 2018, the London Stadium hosted the first-ever Athletics World Cup. This event took place on 14 and 15 July.
Football Matches
West Ham United moved to this stadium in August 2016. They sold out all 50,000 season tickets for the 2016–17 season by May 2016.
West Ham's first game at the stadium was a Europa League match against NK Domžale on 4 August 2016. West Ham won 3–0. The official opening match was a friendly against Juventus on 7 August, which West Ham lost 2–3. West Ham's first Premier League match at the stadium was against AFC Bournemouth, with 56,977 fans attending.
The 2021–22 National League play-off final was held at the London Stadium on 5 June 2022. This match decided which team would be promoted to the EFL. The stadium also hosted the 2023 Sidemen Charity Match on 9 September 2023.
Managing the Crowd
When West Ham first moved to the stadium, there were some issues with crowd behavior at games. For example, during a match against Chelsea in October 2016, some fans threw objects. As a result, the stadium increased security and introduced measures to improve safety. West Ham's vice-chairman, Karren Brady, stated that anyone involved in such incidents would be banned for life.
In March 2018, there were protests during a West Ham game against Burnley. Some people entered the pitch, and the club's owner, David Sullivan, had to be escorted from his seat. After this, West Ham banned some supporters for life. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said the incidents were serious. An investigation found many separate incidents, including public order offences. New security measures were put in place, including more stewards and preventing fans from getting close to the directors' box.
In June 2018, West Ham was charged by the FA for the crowd issues. In January 2019, West Ham was fined £100,000. The investigation found that the stadium operators were partly to blame for not having enough stewards and poor training. In November 2018, West Ham and the stadium operators agreed to work together to resolve issues and increase the stadium's usable capacity.
Other Sports Played
Cricket Matches
In May 2014, it was announced that Essex County Cricket Club might play their Twenty20 cricket matches at the stadium. The stadium was also considered for the 2019 Cricket World Cup. However, it was not chosen because the existing facilities run east to west, which would make it hard to watch games due to the setting sun. Also, there were concerns about players getting hurt on the raised outfield.
Baseball Games
On 8 May 2018, Major League Baseball announced a two-year deal to host baseball games at the London Stadium in 2019 and 2020. The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, two big rivals, played a two-game series there in June 2019. For baseball, the stadium could hold 66,000 people. The seating was changed to feel like American baseball stadiums, and new locker rooms were built. A new playing surface was put over the existing grass.
The Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals were supposed to play in 2020, but this was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The series returned in 2023 with the Cardinals hosting the Cubs.
Motorsport Events
In November 2015, the stadium hosted the 2015 Race of Champions event. This was the first time Great Britain hosted the event since 2008. The English team won the nations cup, and Sebastian Vettel won the Champion of Champions title.
In June 2022, the stadium hosted Monster Jam for the first time, featuring monster trucks. The event returned in July 2023.
Rugby League Matches
The first rugby league match at the stadium was between the England national rugby league team and the New Zealand national rugby league team on 7 November 2015. The stadium also hosted a match between England and Australia in 2016. The stadium is part of England's bid to host the 2021 Rugby League World Cup.
| Test# | Date | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 | Attendance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 November 2015 |  England |
2–9 |  New Zealand |
44,393 | 2015 Baskerville Shield |
| 2 | 13 November 2016 | England |
18–36 | .svg){kind=small} Australia |
35,569 | 2016 Four Nations |
Rugby Union Games
2015 Rugby World Cup Matches
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In July 2012, a bid was made to host some matches of the 2015 Rugby World Cup at the Olympic Stadium. On 2 May 2013, it was announced that the stadium would host four group matches and the Bronze final. The first rugby union match at the stadium was on 29 August 2015. It was a warm-up game before the World Cup between the Barbarians and Samoa. The Barbarians won 27–24.
| Date | Competition | Home team | Score | Away team | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 August 2015 | 2015 Rugby World Cup Warm-up | Barbarians | 27–24 |  Samoa |
41,039 |
| 23 September 2015 | 2015 Rugby World Cup Pool D |  France |
38–11 |  Romania |
50,626 |
| 24 September 2015 | 2015 Rugby World Cup Pool C |  New Zealand |
58–14 |  Namibia |
51,820 |
| 4 October 2015 | 2015 Rugby World Cup Pool D |  Ireland |
16–9 |  Italy |
53,187 |
| 7 October 2015 | 2015 Rugby World Cup Pool B |  South Africa |
64–0 |  United States |
54,658 |
| 30 October 2015 | 2015 Rugby World Cup Bronze final | South Africa |
24–13 |  Argentina |
55,925 |
Premiership Rugby Matches
On 7 July 2017, it was announced that Saracens would play their annual Derby Day match against Harlequins at the London Stadium on 24 March 2018. This was the first time this match was held somewhere other than Wembley since 2010. Saracens won 24–11 in front of 55,329 fans. This was the first-ever Premiership Rugby match at the stadium. The match was played again in 2019, with Saracens winning 27–20.
Concerts at the Stadium
Since opening in 2016, the stadium has hosted many concerts. The Australian rock band AC/DC played the first concert after the Olympic Games.
| Date | Headlining Artist | Concert or Tour | Opening acts | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 June 2016 | AC/DC | Rock or Bust World Tour | Tyler Bryant & the Shakedown | |
| 3 June 2017 | Depeche Mode | Global Spirit Tour | The Horrors | |
| 16 June 2017 | Guns N' Roses | Not in This Lifetime... Tour | The Kills Tyler Bryant & the Shakedown |
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| 17 June 2017 | ||||
| 23 June 2017 | Robbie Williams | The Heavy Entertainment Show Tour | Erasure | |
| 22 May 2018 | The Rolling Stones | No Filter Tour | Liam Gallagher | |
| 25 May 2018 | Florence and the Machine | |||
| 15 June 2018 | Beyoncé & Jay-Z | On the Run II Tour | N/A | |
| 16 June 2018 | ||||
| 22 June 2018 | Foo Fighters | Concrete and Gold Tour | Wolf Alice Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes |
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| 23 June 2018 | The Kills Slaves Starcrawlers |
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| 1 June 2019 | Muse | Simulation Theory World Tour | Tom Morello Pale Waves |
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| 24 June 2022 | Green Day Fall Out Boy Weezer |
Hella Mega Tour | Amyl and the Sniffers | |
| 25 June 2022 | Red Hot Chili Peppers | Global Stadium Tour | Anderson .Paak & Free Nationals Thundercat |
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| 26 June 2022 | A$AP Rocky Thundercat |
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| 3 June 2023 | Burna Boy | Love, Damini Tour | N/A | |
| 7 July 2023 | The Weeknd | After Hours til Dawn Tour | Kaytranada Mike Dean |
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| 8 July 2023 | ||||
| 20 June 2024 | Foo Fighters | Everything or Nothing at All Tour | Wet Leg Shame |
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| 22 June 2024 | Courtney Barnett Hot Milk |
Getting to the London Stadium
The London Stadium is easy to reach by public transport.
Train and Tube Access
The stadium is in the south of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Stratford and Stratford International railway stations are the closest main stations. They are about a 20-minute walk to the stadium.
- Stratford International has Southeastern trains to St Pancras International and Kent.
- Stratford station has London Overground services to North, West, and South London. It also has Elizabeth line services to places like Shenfield and Reading. It's on the Great Eastern Main Line to London Liverpool Street.
- Stratford is on the London Underground's Jubilee and Central lines, which go to Central London.
- The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) also serves Stratford and Stratford International, offering direct service to London City Airport.
- Other nearby stations are Hackney Wick (London Overground) and Pudding Mill Lane (DLR). These might be closed during very large events to manage crowds.
| Service | Station(s) | Lines |
|---|---|---|
| London Overground |
Hackney Wick  Stratford |
North London Line |
| Docklands Light Railway |
Pudding Mill Lane Stratford Stratford International |
Lewisham/Canary Wharf-Stratford Stratford International–Beckton/Woolwich Arsenal |
| London Underground |
Stratford |
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| National Rail |
Stratford |
Great Eastern Main Line West Anglia Main Line Lea Valley Lines |
| Stratford International |
High Speed 1 | |
| Elizabeth line |
Stratford |
Elizabeth line |
Road and Bus Connections
The closest public car parks are at Westfield Stratford City, Stratford International station, and the Stratford Centre. You can also find several docking stations for the London Cycle Hire scheme in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
The following bus routes go directly to the London Stadium:
| Route | Start | End | Areas |
|---|---|---|---|
| 108 | Lewisham bus station |
Stratford International station |
East London, South-East London, South London |
| 308 | Wanstead | Clapton | East London |
| 339 | Shadwell station |
Leytonstone station |
East London, North-East London |
| 388 | Elephant & Castle | Stratford City bus station  |
Central London, East London, South London |
Many other bus services use Stratford bus station and Stratford City bus station, connecting to all parts of East London. Route 25 from City Thameslink also serves Central London.
National Express coach services to Stratford bus station offer direct connections to Stansted Airport and other routes to Essex and East Anglia.
Images for kids
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The stadium in July 2012
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