Emirates Stadium

Interesting Facts about the Emirates Stadium

The Emirates Stadium opened in July 22nd, 2006. It is the third largest football stadium in England (after Wembley and Old Trafford), and it's located at Hornsey Road, Holloway in London. Its design is considered unique: having been built in the 21st century, it has a novel structure, focusing on spectator experience. It's shaped like a three-tiered bowl, with roofing over the stands but not the pitch, and features mainly steel and glass, which make it sparkle in daylight and glow in the darkness. The stadium's capacity is 60,260; record attendance was 60,161 in the Arsenal-Manchester United match on November 3rd, 2007.

History of the Emirates Stadium

In 1997, Arsenal had been denied permission to expand its old stadium, Highbury, which had served as its home since 1913. The team had to explore new possibilities for its stadium, and several locations were considered, including Wembley Stadium. Finally, in 2000, Arsenal had purchased an industrial and waste disposal estate in Ashburton Grove. Due to various complications, construction only began in 2004, and was completed in 2006, at a total cost of £390 million. In 2004 Emirates Airline signed a £100 million, 15-year contract with Arsenal and secured naming rights; that's how the stadium received its name. The first game played in the stadium was a testimonial match for Dennis Bergkamp between Arsenal and Ajax.
Since 2009, the stadium has been undergoing a process of "Arsenalization", the purpose of which is to make it reflect all things Arsenal by various creative and artistic means. Examples of this include: white seats installed in the stadium's lower level in the shape of Arsenal's trademark cannon; eight murals depicting a total of 32 Arsenal legends linking arms, erected on the stadium's exterior; murals around the stadium's lower concourse depicting the greatest moments in the team's history; and two nearby bridges which were renamed in honor of Ken Friar and Danny Fiszman, the club directors.

Other Activities in the Emirates Stadium

The Emirates Stadium is used not only for football matches but for other activities as well; it also operates as a music venue and a conference center. Bruce Springsteen and Coldplay have played concerts in the stadium; and a summit between former British PM Gordon Brown and former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was held there in 2008.
Fans of the team can visit the Arsenal museum, which is located in the stadium's Northern Triangle building, where they can learn about Arsenal's history and see various memorabilia, such as shirts worn by key players in important games, medals, trophies and so on. In the Legends Theatre, visitors can see interactive displays presenting the team's history.
Tours of the stadium are also offered, and they include a walk in the players' tunnel, sitting in the dugout and seeing the changing room, as well as visiting the museum. Visitors can choose between self-guided audio tours, Matchday Tours and Legends Tours.
People interested in purchasing Arsenal merchandise can visit the Arsenal Armoury, also located in the stadium. At the store one can purchase sports clothing and various items and customize them in the personalization area.

What Should You Wear for a Visit in the Emirates Stadium?

The Emirates Stadium does not have a dress code, except for special seats like those in the Club Level (a premium area where one can dress casually, but must refrain from away team colors, torn denim and sports shorts) and the Executive Box Level (where smart/casual attire is required, and sleeveless tops/vests and sports shorts are forbidden).
For regular seats, it is advisable to dress according to the London weather: in the winter choose a coat, lots of layers, jeans, warm socks and waterproof boots; in the spring and autumn, a regular jacket will suffice but layers are still recommended; in the summer, go for lighter clothing, but bring a jumper or a cardigan just in case. Scarves can come in handy in all seasons, as can umbrellas – remember, in London it can start raining at any moment!

Order Your Emirates Tickets Now!

Now that you've read everything you need to know about the Emirates Stadium, it's time to purchase tickets for that match you want to see! Seeing Arsenal in action is a real treat – and you can do so by purchasing tickets to a match at the Emirates Stadium today!