London Stadium: matchday guide, stands and away section
London Stadium is the home of West Ham United in London, with a nominal capacity of 62,500 and an opening date of 2011. Built for the 2012 Olympic Games, it was rebuilt for football and has been West Ham's home since 2016. 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
West Ham United have played at London Stadium since 2011, and the ground is the anchor of the whole matchday: everything in Stratford is organised around the hours either side of kick-off.
Getting there: lines, stations and timings
Routes for London Stadium, station by station. Central, Jubilee, DLR and Elizabeth lines — Stratford station serves the whole complex and is about a 10-minute walk from the ground. London Overground — Stratford also handles the Overground and National Rail, making it one of the best-connected grounds in the city. From central London — About 10 minutes from Liverpool Street on the Elizabeth line. From the airports — Heathrow via the Elizabeth line is direct and quick; Stansted and Southend link into Stratford by rail.
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 — London Stadium 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 Sir Trevor Brooking Stand, upper tier turnstiles only.
- Plan the journey home before you travel: the nearest station queues after the whistle.
The stands, and where to sit
Sir Trevor Brooking Stand 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.
The away section and its view
Away supporters are placed high on the west side, where the distance from the pitch is greatest and the atmosphere thins. Domestic allocation follows league rules; European ties follow the competition's own share.
The visiting allocation at London Stadium sits in Sir Trevor Brooking Stand, upper tier. 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 Sir Trevor Brooking Stand, upper tier 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 | West Ham United |
| City | London, England |
| Nominal capacity | 62,500 (Permanent · all-seater) |
| Opened | 2011 · Stratford |
| Stands | Sir Trevor Brooking Stand, Bobby Moore Stand, Billy Bonds Stand, East Stand |
| Away allocation | Sir Trevor Brooking Stand, upper tier |
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 London Stadium the pattern is this. Stratford town centre: The nearest cluster of pubs and restaurants, a short walk from the station. Hackney Wick: The canal-side alternative, popular with away supporters and reached on foot. Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park: Open ground with food stalls on matchdays and plenty of room to walk.
Stratford town 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 London.
For a quieter pre-match, Hackney Wick is the sensible choice; the streets closest to the turnstiles fill first and empty last.
Tours, tickets and the rest of the visit
Tours run on selected non-match days and take in the dressing rooms, the tunnel and the athletics legacy areas of the former Olympic stadium.
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.
London Stadium 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.