Wembley Stadium (1923)
The Twin Towers of Wembley Stadium (2002) | |
Interactive map of Wembley Stadium | |
| Former names | Empire Stadium British Empire Exhibition Stadium |
|---|---|
| Location | Wembley, England |
| Coordinates | 51°33′20″N 0°16′47″W / 51.55556°N 0.27972°W |
| Owner | Wembley Company |
| Capacity | 82,000 (original standing capacity was 125,000, and later 100,000 prior to being made all-seated in 1990) |
| Surface | Grass and track |
| Record attendance | 126,047 (Bolton Wanderers vs West Ham United – 1923 FA Cup final) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1922 |
| Opened | 28 April 1923 |
| Renovated | 1963 |
| Closed | 7 October 2000 |
| Demolished | 2002–2003 |
| Rebuilt | Replaced in 2007 by the new Wembley Stadium |
| Construction cost | £750,000 (£49.81 million in 2023) |
| Architect |
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| Tenants | |
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The original Wembley Stadium, /ˈwɛmbli/; originally known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, London, England, best known for hosting important football matches. It stood on the same site now occupied by its successor.
Wembley hosted the FA Cup final annually, the first in 1923, which was the stadium's inaugural event, the League Cup final annually, five European Cup finals, the 1966 World Cup final, and the final of Euro 1996. Brazilian footballer Pelé once said of the stadium: "Wembley is the cathedral of football. It is the capital of football and it is the heart of football", in recognition of its status as the world's most famous football stadium.
The stadium has also hosted many other sports events, including the 1948 Summer Olympics, rugby league's Challenge Cup final, and the 1992 and 1995 Rugby League World Cup finals. It was also the venue for numerous music events, including the 1985 Live Aid charity concert, as well as SummerSlam 1992, the first major professional wrestling pay-per-view to take place outside of North America.