ULTIMATE LOYALTY PROGRAMME
5 D$ rewards guaranteed for all website and app bookings
Always up to 10% off
Member-only offers and exclusive experiences
Log in to NH DISCOVERY. Best prices, more flexibility!
The NH Concierge’s Tips
Football is more than just sport: in London it is at the very heart of what the city is all about, and the city goes all out for every event and every home game.
In fact, for many Londoners, it's almost a religion in which the strongest passions and rivalries, cultivated over decades of competitions and clashes in streets and stadiums, have a place. If you travel to London, we invite you to discover the past, present and future of this sport.
Did you know that football was not always a beloved sport in London? According to some sources, in a Royal Proclamation of 1314, it was warned as a translation reads: «For as much as there is great noise in the city caused by hustling over large foot balls in the fields of the public from which many evils might arise which God forbid: we command and forbid on behalf of the king, on pain of imprisonment, such game to be used in the city in the future.»
It is true that football back then had little in common with football that moves the masses today: with ruled yet to be involved, it was little more than gangs of youngsters running around, kicking a ball and 'tackling' each other.
This disorganization and violence generated the rejection of Elizabeth I herself, a cultivated queen and lover of arts who, in 1572, tried to ban it 'on pain of imprisonment' for its players.
It was not possible. Her successor, James I, therefore decided to be more benevolent, favoring gambling, but always outside the public thoroughfare.
In the 19th century, the history of football in this city reached a new milestone. The Harrow school was a pioneer in proposing a 'more gentlemanly' form of football by limiting physical harassment of opponents and prohibiting the use of hands, except by the goalkeeper.
According to the tradition, to ensure strict compliance with the rules, opposing players were provided with white gloves and two crowns to hold, one in each hand, during the match.
In 1848, representative from various English colleges met at Cambridge University to create the first football regulations, the Cambridge Code.
Just over a decade later, in 1863, the Football Association was formed after a series of meetings at the legendary Freemason's Tavern in Covent Garden. From 1860, the first London football clubs were born: Barnes C.F., Crystal Palace F.C., Fulham F.C., Millwall F.C. and Clapton F.C.
At the beginning of the 20th century, three teams established themselves on the football scene: Tottenham Hotspur F.C. (founded in 1882), Arsenal F.C. (1886) and Chelsea F.C. (1905).
Sound familiar? I'm sure they do. And it's only natural, since these teams are part of the popular imagination of the city, have played out great deeds and generate the most heated rivalries between their fans.
No less than 13 professional teams in the four main English leagues, which means that if you stay in a hotel in London, you can watch live football, all year around!
The most famous teams are:
● Arsenal FC: Arsenal is one of the best football teams in the world. Founded in 1886 by workers at the Royal Arsenal munitions factory, it has won English leagues (3 Premier League and 10 First Division), as well as national and international titles and cups.
● Chelsea FC: One of the most iconic London football clubs. It was founded in 1905 in the pub ‘The Rising Sun’, in the Fulham district, in the north-west of the capital. Chelsea has won the top division of English football 6 times and have won European titles, making them one of the most successful English teams internationally.
● Tottenham Hotspur FC: The third historic football club in London was founded in 1882 by members of the Hotspur Cricket Club School in Tottenham, one of the popular northern districts of the city. It has won the FA Cup 8 times and was the first club to achieve a double (league and FA Cup in the same season).
● West Ham United FC: Also, well known in the scenario of football in London, West Ham was founded in 1895 on the banks of the Thames (in Canning Town), has won domestic titles and a few European Cups. Among them, the Intertoto (now UEFA Europa League) in 1999.
Other London football clubs with a strong and dedicated fan base include: Crystal Palace FC, Charlton Athletic, Fulham FC, Queens Park Rangers FC, Brentford Millwall FC, AFC Wimbledon.
A travel guide to London may include monuments such as Westmister Abbey, St Paul's Cathedral or Buckingham Palace, walks across Tower Bridge, Trafalgar Square or Candem Town or a pint in legendary pubs such as The Prospect of Whitby, The Mayflower or The Ten Bells, closely linked to the story of Jack the Ripper.
But if you love football, we recommend a visit to these iconic stadiums which, with their imposing architecture, are part of the city's unconditional love for the game.
The legendary Wembley Stadium is home to all of England's national football teams. Built by Norman Foster whose innovative retractable turf also hosts American football matches.
With a capacity of 66,000 spectators and the venue for the 2012 Olympic Games, it is the second largest of London football stadiums in terms of size and capacity. Designed as a multipurpose stadium, it is currently used by West Ham United Football Club for their home matches.
Arsenal's stadium hosts the club's home matches and many cultural events, especially major concerts by international artists. It is also one of the most visited football stadiums in London because it is home to the official Arsenal shop.
Known simply as ‘The Bridge’, Stamford Bridge has been Chelsea's permanent home for over a century. In fact, the stadium was built in 1877 and has always been at the service of the love of football in London and its west London suburb of Fulham.
Craven Cottage doesn't shine on the outside, but it has a special place among Fulham FC fans, who made it their home in 1896. With a capacity of just over 20,000, Craven Cottage retains much of Archibald Leitch's 1905 redevelopment, which made it a model for football stadiums around the world.
London hosts major football events. The most prominent is the Premier League, one of the most widely covered professional competitions on the planet.
The English league was born in Anderton's Hotel in Fleet Street in 1888 and was known as the ‘First Division’ until 1992 when its name and system of play was changed.
Another of the city's ‘juiciest’ tournaments is the Championship, the second division of English football, in which several London teams compete for promotion.
Among the big events in the British capital, the FA Cup Final (now The Emirates FA Cup for sponsorship reasons), which is the English Football Association's cup, is worth mentioning. The tournament is a single-elimination, single-leg knockout system.
The history and quality of English football, as well as the city's passion for the sport, its infrastructure and good transport links, also mean that on several occasions London has been chosen to host the final of competitions such as the Champions League or the Europa League.
If you're a fan of the “King's game” and want to experience football in this city to the fullest, we recommend visiting one of the major stadiums or attending a match.
Normally, you only need to buy tickets in advance for the most important matches, and you can buy them directly from the clubs' websites. Prices for non-members range from £20 to £110, depending on the category, match or location on the pitch.
Getting to most of London football stadiums is fairly easy, as almost all of them have an underground or suburban station nearby. For example, Arsenal's stadium is in the Holloway district, just minutes away from Holloway Road and Arsenal underground stations (Piccadilly Line). To get to Chelsea's stadium, the nearest tube stop is Fulham Broadway (District Line), about 20 minutes' walk from the centre.
As for the football atmosphere in the UK capital, it is particularly lively around the stadiums, where the fans congregate. Even so, on match days, entire neighbourhoods, with their bars, restaurants, and public spaces, fill up with fans getting ready to enjoy the excitement of football.
Our nhow London hotel is a great accommodation option for getting around the city: located between Hoxton, Islington and Shoreditch, in East London and close to Farringdon station, it has connections to all the major underground lines.
The United Kingdom was a benchmark for football rules and competitions around the world, and London brings together history, popularity and huge investment around the sport.
But football in London is also very special for another reason: the London football clubs play some of the best derbies in the world, such as the North London Derby (between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur), the East London Derby (between two historic clubs, West Ham United and Millwall), the so-called South London Derbies (between Crystal Palace, Charlton Athletic, Millwall and AFC Wimbledon) and the real London derbies (between Queens Park Rangers, Chelsea and West Ham United).
We are sure that if you are reading this post it is because you are passionate about this sport, so if you are planning to enjoy football in Madrid anytime soon, you should know that it is another European capital where football is lived intensely in every corner.
There are currently 19 professional football teams in London. You can find more information about their location by neighbourhood at this link.
The England national team matches at Wembley are not to be missed by fans, as are the FA Cup final and the ‘historic’ local derbies.
The best option is to go directly to the websites of the London football clubs.
You can find more information on these links:
● Premier League Official website
● Chelsea Football Club website
● Tottenham Hotspur official site
The main London football stadiums in terms of size, projection and monumentality are Wembley, Emirates Stadium, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and London Stadium. However, historic venues such as Craven Cottage and Stamford Bridge have a unique charm.
Different football clubs have competed in the Premier League, such as Arsenal, Tottenham, Chelsea, Fulham, West Ham, Crystal Palace and Brentford.
Without wishing to win enemies on either side of the Thames, if we review the history of football in London and its sporting career, the most prestigious clubs in the city are Arsenal and Chelsea.
The newly opened nhow London is located in the thriving area between Hoxton, Islington and Shoreditch. Only minutes from ‘Silicon Roundabout’, the high-tech hub around Old Street, the location offers access to leisure and business facilities, as well as easy travel to all London’s main attractions via nearby Farringdon Station.
Join NH DISCOVERY and get 5% off for all your bookings
Loading results