London Stadium

London Stadium
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Name	London Stadium
Location	Stratford, Newham, London
Broke ground	2007
Opened	2011
Renovated	2013–2016
Owner	London Legacy Development Corporation
Operator	London Stadium 185 (subsidiary of LS185 Holdings)
Surface	Desso GrassMaster
Capacity	62,500 (concerts), 60,000 (football), 66,000 (athletics)
Tenants	West Ham United (2016–present), UK Athletics (2013–present), British Athletics
Architect	Populous
Structural engineer	Buro Happold
Main contractors	Sir Robert McAlpine

London Stadium. Originally constructed for the 2012 Summer Olympics and 2012 Summer Paralympics, it served as the centrepiece of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Following a major post-Games transformation, the venue became the permanent home of Premier League football club West Ham United and a multi-purpose events arena. It is owned by the London Legacy Development Corporation and operated under a long-term concession, hosting a diverse calendar of sports, music, and community events.

History

The stadium's conception was intrinsically linked to London's successful bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics, with the design by Populous aiming for a temporary, lightweight structure for the athletics events. Construction was managed by the Olympic Delivery Authority, with Sir Robert McAlpine as the main contractor, and was completed in 2011. After the Games, the stadium entered a controversial and complex conversion process to secure a long-term legacy, with bids from Tottenham Hotspur and a consortium including the University of East London being rejected. The London Legacy Development Corporation ultimately oversaw a £323 million renovation, led by contractors BAM and with significant structural work by Buro Happold, to create a permanent football configuration suitable for West Ham United, who began their tenancy in 2016.

Design and facilities

The stadium's innovative original design featured a lightweight upper tier and a sunken bowl, allowing its capacity to be reduced from 80,000 for the Olympics. The post-2016 transformation, managed by the London Legacy Development Corporation, added a distinctive cantilevered roof, designed by Populous, which is one of the largest of its kind in the world. The pitch uses a Desso GrassMaster hybrid surface and is capable of retracting, via a system engineered by SCX, to reveal an underlying track and field arena for events sanctioned by UK Athletics. Key facilities include the West Ham United dressing rooms and the Sir Trevor Brooking executive suite, while the stadium is also equipped to host large-scale concerts for promoters like Live Nation.

Major events

The stadium's inaugural event was the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony, directed by Danny Boyle, and it subsequently hosted the Olympic athletics and Paralympic athletics competitions, including memorable performances by Usain Bolt and David Weir. It has since staged the 2015 Rugby World Cup, the 2017 World Athletics Championships, and the 2019 UEFA Champions League Final opening ceremony. Annually, it is the venue for the London Grand Prix as part of the Diamond League and the Premier League matches of West Ham United. The stadium has also become a major concert venue, hosting acts such as The Rolling Stones, Guns N' Roses, and Red Hot Chili Peppers, and was a host venue for UEFA Euro 2020.

Tenants and usage

The primary anchor tenant is West Ham United, which holds a 99-year lease for all home Premier League and FA Cup matches. The stadium also serves as the national home for UK Athletics and hosts events organized by British Athletics, including the annual Anniversary Games. Other sporting tenants have included Major League Baseball teams for the MLB London Series and it regularly hosts rugby matches, such as those for the Premiership Rugby. The venue is managed on a day-to-day basis by London Stadium 185, a subsidiary of LS185 Holdings, under a concession from the London Legacy Development Corporation, and its calendar is filled with a mix of sports, music festivals like Wireless Festival, and community events.

Transport and access

The stadium is centrally located within the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, an area comprehensively regenerated for the 2012 Summer Olympics. It is directly served by Stratford station, a major transport hub offering services on the London Underground via the Central and Jubilee lines, London Overground, Elizabeth line, Docklands Light Railway, and National Rail services operated by Greater Anglia. Additional nearby stations include Stratford International for Southeastern and Eurostar services, and Hackney Wick. The area is also well-served by numerous London Buses routes and has extensive cycling pathways, part of the legacy planning by the Olympic Delivery Authority and Transport for London.

Category:Football venues in London Category:2012 Summer Olympic venues Category:Stadiums in London