Anfield matchday guide: stands, away fans and travel
Anfield is the home of Liverpool in Liverpool, with a nominal capacity of 61,276 and an opening date of 1884. Liverpool have played here since 1892, on a ground that had previously been Everton's. This guide covers how to reach the ground, the real names of its stands, the away section, the matchday rules, where supporters gather, and tours and tickets.
At a glance
Liverpool have played at Anfield since 1884, and the ground is the anchor of the whole matchday: everything in Anfield is organised around the hours either side of kick-off.
Getting there: lines, stations and timings
Routes for Anfield, station by station. Soccerbus and city buses — Frequent services link Liverpool Lime Street with the ground on matchdays. Merseyrail — Sandhills station is the nearest rail stop, about a 25-minute walk from the ground. From the city centre — About a 40-minute walk from the centre, or a short taxi ride. From the airport — Liverpool John Lennon Airport is about 30 minutes by taxi or bus into the centre.
Public transport is the default here, and the map below sets out the lines and the stations rather than a single route — there is usually more than one sensible way in.
Driving is possible but rarely worth it. Parking near a ground of this size is limited, expensive and slow to leave after the final whistle.
The matchday essentials
- Arrive about an hour before kick-off — Anfield is large and the walk from the station is busiest late.
- Your gate matters more than your seat: check it against the stand name on the ticket.
- Take only a small bag; there is no general left luggage at the ground.
- Away supporters enter through the Anfield Road End, north stand turnstiles only.
- Plan the journey home before you travel: the nearest station queues after the whistle.
The stands, and where to sit
The Kop is the reference point most regulars use when they describe the ground, and the other three stands each have their own character.
If you want volume rather than analysis, head for the goal ends. If you want to watch the way a team builds up, a seat along one of the side stands will always beat a place behind the goal.
As a rule, a seat in the corner between a side stand and a goal end gives you the best compromise: close enough to the singing to feel it, high enough to read the whole pitch.
The away section and its view
Visitors are placed behind the north goal, in a recently expanded stand with its own concourse and turnstiles. League rules set the domestic share; European ties follow the competition's own allocation.
The visiting allocation at Anfield sits in Anfield Road End, north stand. Because the away section is agreed by competition rather than by a single rule, the size and position can change between a league match and a European night.
The view from Anfield Road End, north stand is a trade-off: a corner or upper-tier position gives you a clear sightline but puts distance between you and the goalmouth action.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Club | Liverpool |
| City | Liverpool, England |
| Nominal capacity | 61,276 (Permanent · all-seater) |
| Opened | 1884 · Anfield |
| Stands | The Kop, Main Stand, Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand, Anfield Road End |
| Away allocation | Anfield Road End, north stand |
Matchday rules: bags, colours, banners and drums
Bag policy is the single most common reason for a delay at the turnstiles. Most grounds in this guide admit only small bags and refuse anything that will not fit under a seat.
Where supporters gather
For Anfield the pattern is this. City centre: The main pre-match area, with a huge range of pubs and a short bus or taxi ride north. Anfield and Everton Valley: The residential streets around the ground, with local pubs that fill early. Liverpool waterfront: A quieter, more tourist-focused alternative before heading north for kick-off.
City centre is where the crowd gathers before kick-off, and it is the quickest way to feel the mood of a fixture on your first visit to Liverpool.
For a quieter pre-match, Anfield and Everton Valley is the sensible choice; the streets closest to the turnstiles fill first and empty last.
Tours, tickets and the rest of the visit
The tour covers the Kop, the dressing rooms, the tunnel, the dugouts and the club's museum, with a stop at the Hillsborough memorial outside.
On tickets: buy through the club or the official competition channel. Inflated resale prices are a genuine feature of the biggest fixtures at grounds this size, and they are avoidable.
If you are travelling specifically for the ground rather than the match, midweek league fixtures are usually easier to get into than weekend or European matches.
Matchday questions
How long does it take to get in? Turnstiles typically open between 60 and 90 minutes before kick-off, and the queue peaks in the final half hour. Arriving 45 minutes early is enough at most grounds.
Can I buy on the day? Occasionally, for smaller fixtures. For anything involving a big club or a European tie, assume you need a ticket in advance.
Anfield is worth the journey whether or not you have a seat in the best part of the ground. Read the stand names, plan the transport, keep the bag small, and the matchday takes care of itself.