London is one of the most attractive cities in the world for sports fans, hosting some of the world’s best-known events and boasting numerous iconic and well-appointed venues, offering superb sporting and hospitality experiences. From football to tennis, horse racing to rowing, there are top-class sporting occasions to excite fans of every age.
Regarded as the ‘home of football’, England is the country where the first modern set of rules for the game were agreed in 1863, and the sport remains almost a national obsession. Since 1923, the game’s spiritual home has been Wembley. The original stadium was rebuilt and reopened in 2007, becoming the largest stadium in the country and second biggest in Europe, replacing its famous twin towers with an equally iconic arch.
Wembley is the setting for many of the big occasions that take place annually in English football, including the FA Cup, League Cup, Community Shield and the Football League play-offs. The England national team also plays the majority of its competitive and friendly matches on Wembley’s hallowed turf.
During summer 2021, Wembley also hosted matches in the rescheduled UEFA men’s European Championship (Euro 2020) – including group matches, a match from the round of 16, plus the semi-finals and final.
As one might expect of the country’s flagship stadium, Wembley offers some impressive matchday hospitality options. These range from premium seats and exclusive bars to fine-dining experiences and private boxes.
London is also home to several Premier League clubs, with teams including some of the biggest stars in world football. The capital’s clubs also provide some of the best football hospitality experiences, and notable among these is Tottenham Hotspur and its new, state-of-the-art stadium, which is regarded as one of the best in the world. Among the premium matchday packages on offer are private suites, Michelin-calibre restaurant Galvin and the unique Broadcast Booth, which allows guests to watch the big match in the company of a former Spurs star.
A short distance from Tottenham is the Emirates Stadium – home of Spurs’ north London rivals, Arsenal. Among the premium matchday experiences on offer is Club Level VIP, which includes a pre-match reception in the Directors’ Box and five-course a la carte meal, as well as the all-important match seats on the halfway line. The club also offers pre-match dining experiences in its exclusive restaurants. In the south-west of the city is Stamford Bridge, the home of Chelsea FC, which has the additional appeal of a luxury hotel within the stadium complex. Matchday packages include a stay at the Millennium & Copthorne Hotel and dining at its restaurant.
Both Wembley and the Tottenham Hotspur stadiums also host football of a different kind as the venues for four matches in the annual NFL International Series, featuring several of the top American football teams. The Series first took place in 2007 and, since its inception, has attracted capacity crowds for competitive games that are part of the road to the planet’s biggest individual sporting occasion, the Super Bowl. Spectators are guaranteed to witness an entertaining and exciting spectacle, full of the glamour and razzmatazz of the United States’ favourite sport, and featuring some of the world’s finest (and best-paid) athletes in full flight. These family-friendly events often provide fans with the chance to get close to the players for autographs and photos, and there are stalls and shops offering fans American-style food and drink, as well as souvenirs and team merchandise.
In recent years, followers of US sports have also had the opportunity to experience NBA regular-season games at the O2 London, featuring America’s leading basketball stars. Tickets for these events at the 20,000-capacity arena are snapped up quickly by eager fans. The London Stadium, in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, has also played host to Major League baseball games.
Those seeking a somewhat slower-paced, but no less competitive, sporting experience have many options in London. Cricket devotees can spend the day at one of the capital’s two international cricket grounds, which stage England test matches and top domestic fixtures.
Regarded as the home of cricket, Lord’s is situated in the St John’s Wood area of the city and is the home ground of Middlesex County Cricket Club. As well as hosting top-class matches, Lord’s is also home to one of the world’s oldest sporting museums, established in 1864, where the exhibits include the famous Ashes urn, for which England and Australia compete in their Test series.
To the south of the River Thames in Kennington, the Oval has been home to Surrey County Cricket Club since it opened in 1845. It was also the first ground in England to host international Test cricket in 1880 and traditionally stages the final Test match of the English season.
London’s extensive sporting history also includes the world’s oldest tennis tournament, Wimbledon, which is held in early July in the city’s south-western suburbs. The Championships have been held at the All England Club since 1877 and are the only tournament of the four Grand Slams to be played on grass. The addition of retractable roofs on Centre and Number 1 Courts in recent years has ensured that tennis fans can enjoy action that is virtually uninterrupted by the vagaries of the English summer weather. Also, no Wimbledon experience would be complete without a taste of the tournament’s traditional treat – strawberries and cream!
Outside of the Championships fortnight, tennis enthusiasts can enjoy a comprehensive tour of the All England Club, including access to the famous Centre and Number 1 Courts. The tour package also includes a visit to the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum to view the famous tournament trophies and a collection of the sport’s most valuable artefacts.
Some of the world’s leading male players can also be seen in grass-court action during the annual ATP tour event at Queen’s Club in West Kensington. This prestigious event takes place in mid June and serves as a pre-Wimbledon warm-up for many of the top names in men’s tennis.
The ‘Sport of Kings’ provides some of the best opportunities to enjoy top-class sporting occasions in luxurious surroundings, while enjoying superb hospitality and fine dining, all within in an hour or two’s travelling distance from London.
Early summer offers one of the most thrilling events in the racing calendar, as Epsom Downs plays host to the Derby Festival. Held on the first Friday and Saturday of June, the Festival opens with Ladies’ Day, when fashion is at the forefront. Saturday sees the running of Britain’s richest horse race, the Derby, which was first staged in 1780.
The Derby meeting is followed soon afterwards by one of the most prestigious dates in the sporting and social calendar – Royal Ascot – a short distance to the west of London. Held in mid-June, this unique combination of top-quality racing, heritage, pageantry and high fashion is attended by Her Majesty the Queen and members of the royal family across all five days of the meeting.
Completing racing’s spectacular set of social occasions is the Qatar Goodwood Festival, traditionally known as ‘Glorious Goodwood’, in the south of England. Set among the picturesque surroundings of the South Downs, the West Sussex racecourse stages five days of elite racing, with all the hospitality packages one would expect from such a high-quality event.
The first week of July provides a further highlight of the summer social season, when the annual Henley Regatta sees some of the world’s best rowers among the athletes taking to the River Thames in more than 300 races. Taking place over five days, the Regatta attracts thousands of visitors who enjoy restaurants, bars and shopping, as well as the international sport on offer.
