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London Stadium

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London Stadium (formerly and also known as the Olympic Stadium and the Stadium at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park) is a multi-purpose outdoor stadium at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in the Stratford district of London. It is located in the Lower Lea Valley, 6 miles (10 km) east of central London. The stadium was constructed specifically for the 2012 Summer Olympics and 2012 Summer Paralympics, serving as the athletics venue and as the site of their opening and closing ceremonies. Following the Games, it was rebuilt for multi-purpose use and now serves primarily as the home of Premier League club West Ham United, who became anchor tenants from the 2016 season. UK athletics are the other tenants in the stadium and host a round of the IAAF Diamond League each year, known as the London Grand Prix, sometimes called the London Anniversary Games.

Key Information

Land preparation for the stadium began in mid-2007, with the construction officially starting on 22 May 2008. The stadium held 80,000 people for the Olympics and the Paralympic games, before it was remodelled between 2013 and 2015 with 66,000 seats, but with capacity for football limited to 60,000 under the terms of the lease.[9] The decision of what happened to the stadium post Olympics had to be run twice after the first process was delayed by legal cases and a complaint to the European Commission in regards to state aid. It was decided to run a second round of bidding for the stadium, this time keeping it in public ownership and seeking an anchor tenant instead of an owner.

The stadium has been owned and operated by different companies starting with the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG). In October 2012, the whole park including the stadium was handed over to the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) who set up a subsidiary company with Newham Council known as E20 Stadium LLP in July 2012 to oversee the stadium. In 2015, Vinci SA were appointed to manage the Stadium for a 25-year period through London Stadium 185. Newham Council left the E20 Stadium partnership in 2017 and their stake was taken by the LLDC. The LLDC bought LS185 from Vinci in 2019. In January 2025 the LLDC relinquished their interest in E20 Stadium LLP and LS185 to GLA Holdings Ltd. E20 Stadium LLP was renamed London Stadium LLP on 3 April 2025.[10][11]

Stadium operator

[edit]

The stadium during the Olympic and Paralympic Games was owned by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) and the Olympic Delivery Authority.

Following the collapse of the first deal for the stadium over state aid and the wish to keep the stadium in public ownership; the London Borough of Newham withdrew from the West Ham bid and intended to contribute to the funding of the Stadium with the OPLC. It was decided that a Special-purpose vehicle (SPV) would be created which the £40m, from the first tender process would be invested through a subsidiary company called Newham Legacy Investments (NLI). Accounting firms concluded that a limited liability partnership (LLP) was the most appropriate structure for the SPV.[12] In October 2012 the whole park including the stadium was handed over to the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC); which had replaced the public sector, not-for-profit company limited Olympic Park Legacy Company in April 2012 under the Localism Act 2011 as the responsible body to redevelop the Olympic Park after the Games.[13][14][15][16] The LLDC and Newham Council,[17] set up another subsidiary company known as E20 Stadium LLP in July 2012 to take long term responsibility for managing the Stadium.[18]

In October 2014, The Evening Standard reported that French company Vinci SA were favourites to be given a contract to run the stadium for ten years. The company had reportedly beaten off competition from other companies including Anschutz Entertainment Group.[19] In February 2015, Vinci Stadium, a subsidiary of Vinci Concessions, were appointed to manage it starting in April 2015 for a 25-year period becoming the first stadium outside France to be managed by Vinci. The company is also responsible for the London Marathon Charitable Trust Community Track and events on the south park lawn.[20][21][22][23] Vinci set up a subsidiary company called London Stadium 185 (LS185), with the 185 signifying how many medals were won by British athletes at the London Olympic and Paralympic Games.[24] In January 2019, the LLDC bought LS185 from Vinci after concerns were raised following a £3.5 million loss the previous year, with all staff being retained.[25][26]

NLI and Newham Council reliquished its stake in E20 Stadium LLP in November 2017. Stratford East London Holdings LTD (SELH), a new subsidiary company of the LLDC, was formed and took over NLI's stake in the partnership. In November 2024 the LLDC voted to hand over their interest in E20 Stadium LLP, as well as subsidaries SELH and LS185, to GLA Holdings Ltd, a subsidiary company of Greater London Authority (GLA). This was completed in January 2025 with E20 Stadium LLP being renamed London Stadium LLP from April 2025. The change was made to simplify and consolidate the ownership structure, removing the need for duplicative administrative requirements, rationalise leadership and enable the stadium to be directly managed by the GLA rather than the LLDC, which has less grant funding to support the stadium's governance.[17][11]

History

[edit]
Wembley was proposed to be demolished and replaced with a new stadium on the same site as a national stadium for athletics, football and rugby league.

Great Britain had bid for three successive summer Olympic Games between 1992 and 2000. There had been two failed attempts to bring the Olympic Games to Manchester, and one to Birmingham.[27] The International Olympic Committee (IOC) indicated that if Britain was serious about hosting the Games, then a proposal from London would be the one that the committee would listen to, according to British Olympic Association (BOA) chief executive Simon Clegg. In 1997 the BOA appointed David Luckes to conduct a feasibility study about hosting the games. By 2000 Luckes had come up with two proposals:

  • One based on west London around Wembley Stadium.[28] The old Wembley Stadium by 1994 was acknowledged that it had come to the end of its useful life. A proposal was put together for a national stadium to be developed for football, rugby and athletics. In October 1996 Wembley was picked as the site for the national stadium of all three sports.[29]
  • One involving the regeneration of an area of east London stretching from the Isle of Dogs (in the Docklands), through Stratford and north into the Lower Lee Valley. This would be tagged on to an existing proposal to regenerate the area.[30]
The Lee Valley Athletics Centre was built on the proposed site of the Picketts lock stadium.

Culture Secretary Chris Smith removed athletics from a Wembley stadium rebuild in December 1999 stating that UK Athletics would have to find a different venue.[31][32][33] A House of Commons Select committee for Culture, Media and Sport disagreed with the decision noting that it was beyond the proper responsibilities of the minister.[34][35] A new stadium was announced for Picketts Lock in the Lower Lea Valley to host the 2005 World Championships in Athletics in March 2000.[36][37] It was noted that the Picketts Lock Stadium could have been expanded to host 80,000 people for any future summer Olympic Games bid.[38][37] In October 2001 Great Britain withdrew from hosting the World Athletics Championships at Picketts Lock and the proposed stadium was cancelled on cost grounds with David Bond noting that the decision was likely to end any hopes of bringing the Olympics to London.[39][40][41] The Picketts lock area was considered for an Olympic park, however was not favoured due to its distance to existing venues and the city. It was noted by the bid team that had a more strategic view had been taken to bid for an Olympic Games when proposing the stadium, then Stratford (which was dismissed at the time) would have been more a suitable site.[42]

When Beijing won the 2008 Olympic Games in 2001, this left the way open, under the IOC's policies on awarding Olympic Games, for London to bid for the 2012 Games using the land earmarked in east London.[43] London Mayor Livingstone supported a bid for the games as long as it regenerated east London.[44] In 2002 Mayor Livingstone stated that the proposed site was in Stratford.[45] By then it had been decided that Wembley Stadium would be able to host athletics, as a platform for a track was built into the stadium's design; however it could not be the focal point for the Games. Clegg[clarification needed] stated that the seating in the stadium would have to be reconfigured, and there would not be enough seats left to meet the requirements of the IOC. In addition he noted that any future bid would focus on east London.[46] In May 2003 the British government gave the go ahead for an Olympic bid.[47][48] London's bid book was submitted to the IOC in 2004 and confirmed the idea of an Olympic park and stadium in the east of the city.[49][50][51] The IOC awarded London the right to host the 2012 Olympic Games after the city won the most votes in July 2005.[52]

Location

[edit]
Clockwise from top left. Aerial view of the Olympic stadium and park, looking north, Upton Park also visible. Picture two is looking south across the Olympic Park. Image three shows the waterways around the stadium.

The stadium site is on former industrial land between the River Lea (which rejoins the Navigation below Old Ford Lock), the City Mill River, and the Old Pudding Mill River, parts of the Bow Back Rivers.[53] Another branch of this system, St Thomas' Creek, 200 metres (660 feet) to the south, completes an "island" surrounded by water.[54][55] 200 metres (660 feet) to the east is the Waterworks River; with the London Aquatics Centre on its eastern bank. This "island" site for the stadium lies at the southern end of the Olympic Park.[54] To make room for its construction, the already partially obstructed Pudding Mill River, a short channel of the Lea that ran from the west side of the stadium south-eastwards across the site, was filled in.[56] A number of businesses were required to move for the stadium and park. During the bidding for the 2012 Olympics a group of businesses in Marshgate Lane, where the stadium was to be built, wrote to the IOC to withdraw their support for the plans due to unfair treatment.[57]

It was found in 2005 that the site of the stadium was host to Queen Mary College's department of nuclear engineering, which had a small nuclear reactor.[58]

The stadium is situated in the southern part of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in the Stratford district of London.[59] It is located in the Lower Lea Valley, 6 miles (10 km) east of central London.

Design and construction

[edit]
The stadium in July 2012

Design brief

[edit]

During London's bid for the games, promotional materials featured a main stadium with a roof "designed to wrap itself around the venue like muscles supporting the body".[60] The government preferred to produce a brief for an athletics-only stadium that would be largely disassembled after the Games, with the lower tier remaining in place as a permanent athletics facility to replace the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre.

On 13 October 2006, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) selected Sir Robert McAlpine and Populous to start exclusive negotiations to fulfil the design-and-build contract of the Stadium, after no other organisations met the bidding criteria.[61][62] The stadium design was launched on 7 November 2007.[63]

Construction

[edit]
Site of the stadium before construction and during site preparation.

Construction of the stadium commenced three months early in May 2008, after the bowl of the structure had been excavated and the area cleared.[64][65] The building of the stadium was completed in March 2011 reportedly on time and under budget,[66] with the athletics track laid in October 2011.[6]

Exploded view of the stadium's layers

The stadium's track-and-field arena is excavated out of the soft clay found on the site, around which is permanent seating for 25,000, built using concrete "rakers". The natural slope of the land is incorporated into the design, with warm-up and changing areas dug into a semi-basement position at the lower end. Spectators enter the stadium via a podium level, which is aligned with the top of the permanent seating bowl. A lightweight demountable steel and pre-cast concrete upper tier was built up from this "bowl" to accommodate a further 55,000 spectators.[67]

The stadium has two tiers:

  • The base tier, which allows for 25,000 seats, is a sunken elliptical bowl made up of low-carbon-dioxide concrete; this contains 40 per cent less embodied carbon than conventional concrete.[68] The foundation of the base level is 5,000 piles reaching up to 20 metres (66 ft) deep. There are a mixture of driven cast in situ piles, continuous flight auger piles, and vibro concrete columns.
  • The second tier holds 55,000 seats and measures 315 by 256 m (344 by 280 yd) and is 60 m (197 ft) high.[69]

The stadium contains just under a quarter of the amount of steel used in the Olympic Stadium in Beijing for the 2008 Summer Olympics: about 10,700 tons.[70] In addition to the minimal use of steel, which makes it 75 per cent lighter, the stadium also uses high-yield large diameter pipes that were surplus on completion of North Sea gas pipeline projects in its compression truss, and recycled granite. Many of the building materials were transported on trains and barges rather than by lorry.[71]

Various stages of construction up to finished product.

A wrap, which was announced in the initial designs was scrapped in 2010 during cost saving measures;[72] but was reinstated months later in early 2011 to minimise cross winds.[73] The wrap funded by Dow Chemical Company who were allowed to advertise on it until 26 June 2012, covered the exterior of the stadium. The wrap was made from polyester and polyethene and printed using UV curable inks.[74] The wrap was made of pieces of material covering 20 metres (66 ft) high and 900 metres (1,000 yd) in length. The final design for the wrap consisted of 2.5-metre-wide (8 ft 2 in) fabric panels, twisted at 90-degree angles to allow entry to the stadium at the bottom of the structure, and held in place with tensioned cables.[75][54]

To allow for fast on-site assembly, compression truss and roof column connections were bolted; this also enabled easy disassembling of the roof structure after the closing ceremonies.[76] The cable-supported roof structure covered approximately two-thirds of the stadium's seating.[77] Reaching 70 metres (230 ft) above the field of play, its roof held 14 lighting towers that collectively contained a total of 532 individual 2 kW floodlight lamps. The lights were first officially switched on in December 2010 by Prime Minister David Cameron and London Mayor Boris Johnson.[78] During the Games, the towers were fitted with additional ceremony lighting, and four of the towers held large temporary video screens.[79]

A temporary athletics warmup track was constructed for the 2012 games to the South of the Greenway.[80]

Stadium interior

[edit]
Olympic Stadium interior

The stadium was equipped with a nine lane Mondo 400 metres (440 yards) athletics track.[81] The turf in the stadium was grown in Scunthorpe and was a mix of perennial ryegrass, smooth stalk meadow grass, and fescue grass seeds. It took 360 rolls of grass to cover the infield and was laid in March 2011.[82] The track laid was made by Italian company Mondo who installed the Mondotrack FTX model.[1][81][83] The track was 13.5 mm (0.5 inches) thick and used two vulcanised rubber layers, one of which was a cushioning underside with elongated diamond-shaped cells, which allowed them to flex in any direction.[84] The stadium's 80,000 seats had a black-and-white 'fragment' theme that matched the overall branding design used by LOCOG for London 2012. The lines all centred on the finish line on the track.[54] The seats were made in Luton and were fitted between May and December 2010.[85]

Lighting paddles were connected to every seat (left) to create a variety of effects (right).

During the Games, the Stadium's grandstands contained a lighting system developed by Tait Technologies that allowed them to function as a giant video screen, later called Landscape video.[86] 70,500 individual "paddles" containing nine LED pixels each were installed between each seat, which were controlled via a central system to display video content wrapped around the stadium.[87] The Stadium took a Guinness World Record for the Largest landscape video display, during the opening ceremony with 634,500 sources of light.[88][89] This technology was also adopted for the Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium, which hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Response

[edit]

Initially, the stadium design received a mixed response from the media, with reviews ranging from "magnificent" to the derisory "bowl of blancmange".[90] The design was promoted as an example of "sustainable development", but some architecture critics have questioned both its aesthetic value and suitability as a national icon – especially when compared with Beijing National Stadium. For example, Ellis Woodman, Building Design's architecture critic, said of the design: "The principle of it being dismountable is most welcome... it demonstrates an obvious interest in establishing an economy of means and as such is the antithesis of the 2008 Olympic stadium in Beijing. But while that's an achievement, it's not an architectural achievement. In design terms what we're looking at is pretty underwhelming." He went on to criticise the procurement and design processes – stating of the latter that it should have been subject to an architectural competition.[91] This view was echoed by Tom Dyckhoff, The Times's architecture critic, who described the design as "tragically underwhelming" and commented that the "architecture of the 2008 and 2012 Olympics will, in years to come, be seen by historians as a "cunning indicator of the decline of the West and the rise of the East".[92] Piers Gough, Amanda Levete and Charles Jencks noted in the Guardian that "it's an Ikea stadium." Continuing they note that this stadium does not take your breath away. "Beijing's Bird's Nest stadium was the icon for the Olympics in China and that is what we are missing. It is not going to capture anyone's imagination and does not hold the iconography of the moment." They admired the stadium for its simplicity and economy.[93] Amanda Baillieu writing in Building Design challenged the designer's claims that the stadium is environmentally sustainable and good value for money. Instead, it is asserted that the reality will be the opposite. Noting that the roof and the seats could not be reused.[94]

Rowan Moore noted that the stadium was the perfect model of an austere structure for austere times, if it had not had cost £486m.[95] The Olympic Stadium was nominated for the 2012 Stirling Prize in architecture losing out to the Sainsbury Laboratory at the University of Cambridge.[96][97]

Post-Olympic Games use

[edit]

The legacy plan for the stadium had involved converting it into a 25,000 to 30,000-seat athletics stadium with a sports training, science and medicine centre after the 2012 games.[98] It was noted by a culture media and sports committee in 2006 that London needed world-class athletics stadium once the games had finished; as Crystal Palace needed huge investment to bring it up to the standard required since athletics was not built into Wembley stadium. The committee saw benefit in a football or rugby club using the stadium as its home ground, provided that athletics events were accommodated.[99]

Before London's bid for the Olympic Games was successful it was thought that football clubs West Ham United or Tottenham Hotspur could move into the stadium after the games.[100][101] However Mayor Livingstone ruled this out stating that it would be scaled down to around 25,000 seats for an athletics facility and would not be turned into a football ground.[102][103] By 2006 Olympic organisers stated that West Ham could takeover the stadium with the athletics track in situ.[104][105] The keeping of the athletics track put Tottenham off the stadium.[106][107]

Thames Ironwork site and land near West Ham station were proposed locations for West Ham's new stadium

In 2007 Leyton Orient were in discussions to move into the stadium as the plan was still to scale the stadium down and the club were a suitable size to move into it.[108] West Ham's request for the stadium was turned down, despite the club reportedly offering the authorities £100m to reduce the 80,000 seat stadium to 60,000 after the 2012 Games; as it would not be possible deliver the stadium on time and budget for the games due to the number of design changes required by the club. Alternative sites for a new stadium included Thames Ironworks and land next to West Ham station were considered by the club and the London Development Agency (LDA).[109][110] The Olympic board was made up by the government, the mayor of London and the Olympic Delivery Authority and focused on legacy planning for the stadium. In February 2012 former Sports Minister Richard Caborn, who was a member of the board at the time, noted that other board members were keen to begin construction work on the original design and avoid another Wembley-style embarrassment. Caborn further noted that not planning for a genuine dual use stadium such like the Stade de France was a missed opportunity.[111] Talks with football clubs were abandoned in 2007 and not picked up again until 2010.[112]

In 2008 Boris Johnson became Mayor of London,[113] and stated that the stadium could be used for football and wanted to revisit the post games plans to downsize.[114][115] The London Assembly's economic development, culture, sport and tourism committee warned that the stadium would struggle to be financially viable in July 2009.[116][117] The committee later stated that the decision to downsize the stadium to 25,000 seats instead of 60,000 as flawed and not in the long-term interests of taxpayer.[112] The Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) was established as a public sector, not-for-profit Company limited set up by the Mayor of London, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, and the Minister for the Olympics in 2009. The aim of the company was to carry on the work started by the LDA, which had acquired the land, and worked on post 2012 legacy.[118][119] The company chaired by Baroness Ford wanted to review the size of the stadium post 2012.[120][117]

First tenancy process

[edit]

In March 2010 the OPLC prepared a tender process for interested parties to compete for the stadium, with the winner owning the stadium.[12][121] Chairwoman Baroness Ford said the process would start with three months of market testing, including publication of an OPLC prospectus inviting people to make suggestions on what they can do with the stadium. Following which a procurement process would then take place for the future of the stadium.[122] The OPLC set five criteria: that the new tenant should produce a viable long-term solution that provided value for money, secure a partner with the expertise to operate a legacy solution, reopen the stadium as quickly as possible, allow flexible usage, and make the stadium a distinctive physical symbol that supported regeneration.[12][123][124]

Media speculation and expressions of interest included: the England and Wales Cricket Board and Kent County Cricket Club;[125] Middlesex County Cricket Club,[126] Essex County Cricket Club:[127] Wasps RFC;[128][129] Saracens R.F.C.;[130] London Skolars R.L.F.C.; Major League Baseball;[131] and the National Football League.[132] After receiving and pre-screening over 100 expressions of interest, the formal bidding process of selecting the post-Olympics user of the stadium opened on 18 August 2010.[133] It ran until midday on 30 September and the OPLC hoped to select a tenant by March 2011.[134]

On 12 November 2010, it was announced that two bids had been shortlisted for the future use of the stadium, with whom final negotiations would take place.[135] A joint bid from Tottenham Hotspur and Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), and a second bid from West Ham United and Newham Council was selected.[136][137][138][139] The only other bid received by the OPLC came from a consortium formed by International Stadia Group, HKS and CB Richard Ellis and was not shortlisted.[12]

At the opening of the formal bid process, West Ham United were considered favourites once they withdrew their initial opposition to keeping the running track in place. The club planned a £100 million conversion to create a 66,000 capacity venue, which would also host international football, international athletics, as well as Essex County Cricket Club, international Twenty20 cricket matches, NFL games, and Live Nation events.[140] Whereas Tottenham proposed knocking the stadium down and rebuilding it as a football only venue. The scheme also would refurbish Crystal Palace for athletics.[141] In 2017 Moore Stephens conducted an Olympic Stadium Review and noted that West Ham's bid ticked all five of the requirements set out by the OPLC whereas Tottenham's only met three of them.[12]

Decision, review, and cancellation

[edit]

In January 2011 Newham Council approved a £40 million Treasury loan at favourable rates to allow West Ham to finance a move to the stadium. This was despite one financial auditor stating that the way the decision came about was open to abuse and councillors asking why were they providing a loan for a private company.[142][143] On 11 February 2011, the OPLC unanimously selected West Ham United and Newham Council as the preferred bidders to take over the stadium after the 2012 Games.[144] The decision was ratified by the British Government and London Mayor Boris Johnson on 3 March 2011.[145]

The OPLC announced on 5 July 2011 that an independent review into the awarding of the Olympic Stadium to West Ham United was to be conducted. The Times had found that the Director of Services, Dionne Knight, had been engaged by West Ham United to carry out consultancy work without the permission of the OPLC.[146] West Ham responded with legal action against Tottenham Hotspur and The Sunday Times due to how the information was obtained. The club and the OPLC stated that Knight had no involvement in the vote to award the stadium.[147] In August 2011, Moore Stephens' investigation and a separate West Ham investigation led by a Blackstone Chambers barrister ruled that the process was not compromised and the bid process would not be reopened.[148][149] West Ham and the OPLC made complaints to the police and Operation Polworth was conducted in August 2011 following allegations relating to the unlawful obtaining of information.[150][151][149] It was revealed that the information was received by people working on behalf PKF, who were employed by Tottenham to assist with their bid for the stadium. Both PKF and Tottenham stated they did not know about the activity.[152][151] The three men were fined a total of £123,250 between them after pleading guilty to obtaining personal data contrary to the Data Protection Act 1998 in 2013.[153]

Leyton Orient, who are geographically the nearest professional football club to London Stadium, complained that as it was so close to their own ground, West Ham's occupancy of it would breach F.A. rules and could even force them into bankruptcy.[154] Tottenham Hotspur F.C. and Leyton Orient applied for a judicial review to overturn the OPLC's decision; however, this appeal was rejected in June 2011.[155] Tottenham Hotspur appealed the decision not to have a review on 29 June 2011.[156] On 23 August, the day before Tottenham Hotspur were due in court, they staged "intense negotiations" with the office of the Mayor of London, and looked set to drop all claims for a review and be offered funding for their own stadium.[157] However, the next day Tottenham did attend court with Leyton Orient and won a review of the decision, being told that they had an arguable case specifically in regards to the £40m loan by Newham Council giving an unfair advantage through state aid or through state resources".[158][159] On 17 October 2011, a day before they were due in court for the judicial review into the bidding process of the stadium, Tottenham Hotspur and Leyton Orient ended their legal challenge.[160]

The award of the stadium to West Ham was cancelled on 11 October 2011, as the OPLC the concluded that the Olympic Stadium would remain in public ownership and that it would be leased out to an anchor tenant.[161][162][163][164][165] This came after concerns around Legal challenges and a complaint to the European Commission over state aid, would have led to the stadium sitting empty for years.[164] The London Borough of Newham withdrew from the West Ham bid and intended to contribute to the funding of the Stadium with the OPLC.[12]

Second tenancy process

[edit]

A new process to select an anchor tenant begun with the athletics legacy clause was clarified to ensure that a track remained in the stadium with the stadium scaled to 60,000 seats was launched in December 2011.[166] The OPLC set out four criteria for the stadium. 1) To deliver a viable, long-term, multi-use stadium that is deliverable and provides value for money.2) To re-open the stadium for operational use from 2014. 3) To re-open the stadium with an athletics track. 4) To allow flexible usage of the stadium by OPLC, tenants and other bodies, allowing year-round community access.[167]

In February 2012, 16 parties were interested in the stadium.[168] Essex County Cricket Club along with the University of East London decided to make a bid for the stadium,[169] but the university pulled out of the process.[170] Four bidders for the stadium were announced in July 2012:[12][170][171]

  • West Ham United move into the stadium and use for football matches.[12]
  • Intelligent Transport Services proposed a Formula One race taking place at the Olympic Park which would include a section of the track inside the Stadium.[12]
  • University College of Football Business (UCFB) proposed a 20 year lease for office, media and hospitality facilities.[12]
  • Leyton Orient move into the stadium and use for football matches.[12]

In 2017 Moore Stephens conducted an Olympic Stadium Review and noted that Leyton Orient's was the same as West Ham's but offered weaker financial outcomes. The bid from Intelligent Transport Services, was rejected for having too much speculation and uncertainty in their business plan and in Moore Stephens view limited legacy.[12][172] Additionally they noted that the bid from the university of Football would not be an appropriate use to guarantee regular use of the Stadium and it offered a limited legacy.[12]

In April 2012, the Olympic Park Legacy Company was dismantled, and responsibilities transferred to the newly constituted London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC).[13] In December 2012, West Ham were named as the preferred bidder by the LLDC to be anchor tenants for the stadium with a separate operator co-ordinating community and sporting use, as well as concerts and events.[173] West Ham, reportedly, agreed to pay £2.5 million in rent per year to the LLDC and promised to pay back any extra cost for the roof and seats within ten years.[174][175]

On 22 March 2013, West Ham United secured a 99-year lease deal, with the stadium planned to be used as their home ground from the 2016–17 season.[176] In July 2013, UK Athletics received a 50-year deal for the use of the stadium.[177] UK Athletics will have access every year from the last Friday in June until the end of July.[178]

With so much public money going into the stadium and its redevelopment, the BBC learned that David Gold and David Sullivan must share any profits they make if they sell the club.[179][180] Daniel Kretinsky took a 27 per cent stake of West Ham in 2021,[181] and the club had to pay £6.5 million to E20 Stadium as part of the agreement for use of the stadium in 2023.[182] However £3.6m was returned to West Ham in January 2025 after a judge ruled that "manifest errors" in an "expert determination" relating to the increase in the club's valuation after Krestinsky had purchased. West Ham had originally paid £2.6m before the LLDC demanded more.[182]

Following the appointment of West Ham as tenants Barry Hearn stated that he would mount another legal challenge as he believed the rules set out by the LLDC had not been followed and felt that Leyton Orient's proposed groundshare had been ignored.[183][184] On 19 September 2013, Leyton Orient lost their bid to win a judicial review with Mr Justice Lewis stating that the LLDC was entitled to make the decision which was not "irrational".[185] In November 2013, it was the House of Lords' opinion that Leyton Orient should be allowed occasional use of the stadium.[186][187][188] In early December, the LLDC said that there was nothing to stop Orient from negotiating a rental agreement with whichever firm ends up running the stadium. Orient, however, would not be able to negotiate a 99-year deal like West Ham and would only have usage of the stadium when they were not playing.[189][190][191] On 1 July 2014, Leyton Orient brought an end to their dispute with the Premier League. They had disputed the validity of the Premier League's decision to allow West Ham to move to the stadium; but as Orient would be able to consult with the stadium operators over using the venue for matches of their own they dropped the claims.[192][193]

In May 2014 it was announced that Essex Cricket Club had agreed to a deal "in principle" for a two-week festival of Twenty20 cricket matches at the stadium from 2016.[194] In 2016 it was stated that it was more likely to be held from 2018 using a drop in pitch.[195] The venue was also touted as a possible venue for the 2019 Cricket World Cup.[196] However, the venue was not included in the final fixtures list.[197] It was not chosen due to the existing facilities running east to west which would have made the game difficult to watch, due to the setting sun, as at most cricket venues the pitch runs from north to south. Additionally, it was discovered that the capacity of the stadium would decrease by 30,000 if the facilities were reconfigured to a north–south alignment.[198] The International Cricket Council also had concerns over potential injuries to players caused by the raised sand-based outfield.[199]

Response to lease

[edit]

Supporters of 14 different football clubs, formed an Olympic Stadium Coalition, pressed for an inquiry into the LLDC's granting of West Ham's tenancy. They argued that West Ham were being given an unfair advantage by the arrangement, implying that the club had received state aid.[12] However, in September 2015 the government rejected holding such an inquiry.[200] In October 2015, the LLDC released a 207-page document with redacted sections. West Ham's annual rent was not revealed as this was seen to be commercially sensitive information.[201] On 14 April 2016, after a tribunal forced the LLDC to publish the agreement in full it was revealed that West Ham will pay £2.5 million per year during a 99-year lease of the stadium but will not have to fund police, stewarding, heating, pitch maintenance, or corner flags. Barry Hearn described the deal as one his dog could have bettered.[202][203]

In September 2018, Lyn Garner, chief executive of the LLDC, revealed that the £2.5m paid per year by West Ham did not even cover the cost of staging matches leading to increased debts in running the stadium for the 97-year remainder of their tenancy agreement.[204] E20 and West Ham became embroiled in a protracted legal dispute in the High Court as to which elements of service were included in the annual payments under the 99-year lease, and which elements might be expected to involve an additional regular facility fee.[205][206] Both parties, in November 2018, agreed to an out-of-court settlement.[207] E20 Stadium and LLDC sued Allen & Overy law firm for professional negligence in its role drafting the London Stadium concession agreement with West Ham which was settled in August 2022.[182][208] The LLDC stated that being unable to charge West Ham during their Europa Conference League campaign was further proof of how poor the original deal was.[209]

Post-Olympic redevelopment

[edit]

The initial idea was to have the stadium opened in 2014, following redevelopment.[167] Dennis Hone, chief executive of the LLDC, revealed in November 2012 that the stadium would not reopen in 2014 and it would reopen in August 2015 instead.[210] The E20 LLP, oversaw the redevelopment of the stadium into the only UK venue that is both UEFA Category 4 and World Athletics category 1 stadium.[211] seating 66,000 spectators. West Ham contributed £15 million and Newham Council £40 million for the work to be carried out with the LLDC and the British Government making up the rest.[212] The reconfiguration of the stadium saw work on a 84-metre (92 yd) transparent roof, corporate areas, toilets, concessions and retractable seating.[213][214][215] The roof twice the size of the original one at 45,000sq metres, will cover every seat in the ground and improve the acoustics and spectator experience.[216]

Olympic Stadium during its renovation, prior to the fitting of the roof and floodlights.

Balfour Beatty were initially contracted to construct the new roof for £41 million; in January 2014 they were awarded a £154 million tender, which includes the earlier contract for the roof, to complete the stadium's transformation works.[217][218][219] Imtech G&H were awarded a £25 million contract to carry out electrical and plumbing work.[220][221] Paul Kelso, working for Sky News, discovered in September 2014 that the cost of the conversion of the stadium may rise by £15 million, due to additional work to strengthen the structure, to allow it to support the new roof.[222] It was revealed neither West Ham United nor the taxpayer would have to meet the additional cost as Balfour Beatty would contribute with the remainder funded from the existing LLDC transformation budget of the Olympic Park.[223] In October 2014, the LLDC contributed a further £35.9 million towards the project with the funding coming from reserves and income generated by other means.[224]

Work commenced on 13 August 2013 with the removal of 25,000 seats and the grass from the field of play.[216][225] The athletics track was covered with a 75 cm (2 ft 6 in) layer of recycled concrete to protect it during the heavy lifting.[226] In November 2013 work commenced to remove the fourteen floodlight panels as part of the £200 million conversion of the stadium.[227] Work began on installing the 14 new floodlights in March 2015. Each floodlight panel is 18 metres (59 ft) tall and weighs 45 tonnes (44 long tons; 50 short tons), and sits 30 metres (98 ft) above the stadium's floor, suspended from the roof rather than sitting on top. As the floodlight work began, work on a steel halo structure that encircles the stadium, containing 96 turnstiles, catering and toilet facilities, concluded.[228]

In 2024 planning permission was given for 6,500 square metres of solar membrane panels to be installed by Ameresco on the roof of the stadium. The LLDC Solar Membrane Project was the first to receive funding from the Mayor of London's Green Finance Fund in a form of a loan.[229][230] London city had already contributed £45,000 towards a feasibility study and business case for the project.[231][232] At a cost of £4.35 million this will allow the venue to generate enough energy to power all of the stadium's major events.[229][233][234][235]

The original athletics Mondotrack FTX track surface was removed in May 2016 and a new surface, using 17,000 square metres (20,000 sq yd) of Mondotrack/WS track, was installed.[236] The grass playing field was lengthened by several metres at either end for the 2015 rugby matches to fit a suitably-sized rugby/football pitch.[citation needed] The pitch at the stadium was replaced after the Olympic Games with a Desso GrassMaster artificial-natural hybrid pitch approved for Premier league matches of 105 by 68 metres (115 by 74 yd), along with under-soil heating.[237]

Panoramic picture of the interior of London Stadium

The black-and-white seating design from the Olympics was replaced with a white, blue and claret design. The new design includes West Ham's name on the East Kop Stand and symbolic crossed hammers on all lower-tier stands, and the retention of the 2012 shard design on the upper tier, albeit in new colouring to match the stadium's anchor tenant.[238] Work continued through 2016 to transform the stadium into a home for West Ham, with the club's colours and giant model West Ham shirts added to the stadium concourse.[239] A West Ham store and coffee shop was opened on 23 June.[240]

West Ham United's European Champions statue outside of the stadium.

In an attempt to make London Stadium more like their home ground, in April 2019 a £250,000 claret-coloured pitch surround was announced and installed. The colour of the carpet, over the athletics track surrounding the pitch, was at the centre of a long running dispute between the club and LLDC. An agreement on the carpet was met as one of the conditions to avoid a court case, with West Ham paying an increased rent and also being allowed to place a statue outside the stadium and to name a stand.[241][242] The East Stand was chosen to be renamed in honour of Billy Bonds.[243] A statue of Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters known as "West Ham United's European Champions" picturing the 1965 European Cup Winners' Cup was installed outside the Stadium in 2021 in an area known as Champions Place.[244][245][246] Peters' ashes were placed in the foundation of the statue.[247]

In February 2020, West Ham announced planned alterations to the stadium introducing two new lower-tier stands moving supporters closer to the pitch, many by more than four metres (13 feet).[248] In March 2020, West Ham opened a sensory room in the stadium for fans.[249] On 6 April 2022, West Ham announced that the capacity for football matches would be increased to 62,500 and the lower tier of the west stand is to be reconfigured to make the stadium more football-oriented.[250] The redevelopment meant an increase of the overall capacity to 68,013.[3]

Community track

[edit]
Community track next to the stadium.

Following the demolition of the 2012 warm-up track as the land it was on was given to Crossrail; a permanent athletics six-lane track (eight-lane on the straights) was built to the north of the Greenway footpath, on the southside of the stadium.[80] The construction of the track was funded by a grant from the London Marathon Trust.[251] The grant was the biggest in the charity's history at that point and the stadium opened to the public in October 2017.[252] The stadium has a grandstand named after Chris Brasher and John Disley, which can seat 200 people and a clubhouse.[252]

The track allows the London Stadium to comply with IAAF rules at Category 1 facilities and is home to Newham and Essex Beagles Athletic Club.[253][254][255] Altis FC have also made the stadium their home along with use by the Bobby Moore Academy.[252]

Stadium issues

[edit]
Stewards (in yellow jackets) within a group of West Ham United supporters

At the Samoa v Barbarians Rugby match spectators complained about the lack of wifi and beer at the stadium along with long queues for tickets, poor views and some seats already been allocated.[256] There was also an issue around seats being allocated during the West Ham v Bournemouth match. Football stadium design expert, Paul Fletcher thought that the stadium should be demolished as the stadium's design means football fans are too far from the pitch.[257]

At the beginning of the 2016–17 season, West Ham's games were marred by instances of crowd trouble. Disturbances occurred in matches against Bournemouth, Watford and Middlesbrough at the stadium, leading to the club to ask E20 to ensure that there was a police presence at the venue.[258][259][260][261] The police turned down the request stating that there was not a satisfactory radio system at the stadium.[262] Further issues occurred in matches against Sunderland and Chelsea.[263][264][265] This was despite enhanced security measures being deployed for the Chelsea match.[266]

Measures were permanently put in place inside and outside of the stadium including creating more distance between opposing fans and strengthening barriers and ensuring segregation outside the stadium on the Island and having stewards with cameras.[267]

In March 2018, there were protests against West Ham United owner, David Sullivan at the stadium during a 3–0 home defeat to Burnley. There were four pitch invasions and Sullivan was escorted from his seat before the end of the match.[268] Sullivan was also hit on the head by a coin.[269][270] Measures including increased security presence and preventing fans from approaching the area holding members of the West Ham board were announced in late March. The measures funded by the taxpayer cost £60,000 to implement.[271]

In June 2018, West Ham were charged by the FA with offences relating to crowd disturbances at the game against Burnley in March.[272] In January 2019, West Ham were fined £100,000 for the disturbances.[273] The Football Association investigation of the incidents was heavily critical of the stadium operators, London Stadium 185 (LS185), and found that they had left sections which were damaging to the company out of their report. As LS185 were in control of the stadium's operations and were blamed for their actions in the disturbances (including cutting the number of stewards, poor training and unsatisfactory response to pitch invasions), West Ham sought to split the fine with the company.[274]

Events at the stadium

[edit]

London 2012

[edit]
David Rudisha of Kenya setting a World Record for the 800 metres in the Olympic final.

The Olympic Stadium hosted its first public event on 31 March 2012, serving as the finish line for the National Lottery Olympic Park Run. Five thousand participants took part in a 5-mile (8 km) run around Olympic Park.[275] On 5 May the stadium held "2012 Hours to Go: An Evening of Athletics and Entertainment".[276] Niamh Clarke-Willis, a nine-year-old, was chosen to open the stadium ceremonially.[277] The stadium hosted two warm-up events for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games as part of the London Prepares series. The venue hosted the British Universities Athletics Championships and the London Disability Grand Prix in May 2012.[278][279]

During the London Disability Grand Prix, Paul Blake (T36, 1500 metres), Hannah Cockroft (T34, 100 metres), Michael McKillop (T37, 1500 metres), and Richard Whitehead (T42, 200 metres) all set new world records.[280] The stadium also hosted the athletics events of the UK School Games.[281][282]

The stadium hosted both the opening and closing ceremonies at the 2012 Olympic Games.[283] During the four London 2012 ceremonies, the track was protected via synthetic covering.[284] During the Athletics events of the Olympic Games, world records were set by David Rudisha for the 800 metres to become the first man to run the distance in under 1 minute 41 seconds.[285] Jamaica men surpassed the 4 × 100 metres relay record from the 2011 World Championships by two-tenths of a second.[286] The United States women's 4 × 100 metres team beat the previous best set by East Germany in 1985, recording a time of 40.82 seconds.[287][288] Olympic records were set by Usain Bolt, who ran the second-fastest 100 metres,[289] Renaud Lavillenie in the Pole vault by 1 cm (0.39 inches),[290] Sally Pearson recorded a record time in the 100 metres hurdles and Tatyana Lysenko set a new mark in the Hammer.[291][292]

The stadium also hosted both the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2012 Paralympic Games.[293] Over the course of the Paralympic Games athletics events, world records were set on the track by; Oxana Boturchuk[294] Martina Caironi,[295] Chen Junfei,[296] El Amin Chentouf,[297] China,[298] Libby Clegg,[294] Arnu Fourie,[299] Marie-Amelie le Fur,[296] Terezinha Guilhermina,[295] Mahmoud Khaldi,[296] Samwel Mushai Kimani,[297] Walid Ktila.[300] Liang Yongbin,[298] Rosemary Little,[301] Liu Ping,[302] Liu Wenjun,[298] Gunther Matzinger,[298] Michael McKillop,[299] Mateusz Michalski,[298] Yohansson Nascimento,[303] Oscar Pistorius,[299] David Prince,[298] Evgenii Shvetcov,[300] South Africa,[295] Leo Pekka Tahti,[294] Abraham Tarbei,[300] Iurii Tsaruk,[296] Richard Whitehead,[294] Abderrahim Zhiou,[300] Zhu Daqing, and Zhou Guohua.[294] Multiple World Records on the track were set by Yunidis Castillo,[298][299] Assia El Hannouni,[296][304] Evan O'Hanlon,[299][305] Jason Smyth,[299][302][306] Fanie van der Merwe, and Marlou van Rhijn.[296][298][299][305][307]

In the field events, world records were set by Hani Alnakhli,[302] Alexey Ashapatov,[306] Aigars Apinis[308] Lahouari Bahlaz,[302] Mohamed Berrahal,[308] Kelly Cartwright,[309] Yanlong Fu,[310] Leonardo Diaz,[307] Zeljko Dimitrijevic,[301] Tanja Dragic,[309] Najat El Garraa,[306] Javad Hardani,[302] Todd Hodgetts,[302] Jun Wang,[309] Maroua Ibrahmi,[294] Juan Yao,[311] Mohsen Kaedi,[299] Mohammad Khalvandi,[298] Gocha Khugaev,[295] Karolina Kucharczyk,[297] Assunta Legnante,[307] Maciej Lepiato,[298] Liu Fuliang,[299] Drazenko Mitrovic,[307] Azeddine Nouiri,[300] Katarzyna Piekart,[299] Mariia Pomazan,[309] Nikita Prokhorov,[296] Qing Wu,[309] Markus Rehm,[306] Raoua Tlili,[298] Wang Yanzhang,[302] Zhu Pengkai,[295] and Oksana Zubkovska.[310] Multiple records were set in the field by Dong Xia,[302][307] Birgit Kober,[296][297] Na Mi,[308] Yang Liwan,[295][299] and Wang Zhiming.[300][310]

Athletics

[edit]
Emma Coburn set a World Championship record whilst winning the 3000m steeplechase.

London had bid to host the 2015 World Athletics Championships using the Olympic Stadium. The bid to host the event at the stadium was withdrawn, due to uncertainties arising out of who would operate it after the Olympics, as a number of plans for the stadium involved removing the athletics track.[312] With issues resolved over keeping the athletics track in the stadium, London bid for the 2017 World Athletics Championships.[313] The bid was supported by London's Mayor Boris Johnson and the British Government.[314] On 11 November 2011, the IAAF awarded the 2017 World Championships to London.[315] The World Para Athletics Championships were planned to take place a month before the able-bodied championships originally at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham before being switched to the stadium.[316][317]

At the championships Great Britain set a European record whilst winning the men's 4x100m,[318] while Emma Coburn set a championship record in the 3000m steeplechase.[319] Rosângela Santos set a South American record in the 100m.[320] An Asian record was set by Lyu Huihui in the javelin.[321]

David Weir broke the World Record in the men's T54 mile

On 24 January 2013, it was confirmed that the London Athletics Grand Prix, a Diamond League event, would be switched to the stadium from Crystal Palace due to construction work on the stadium not commencing until 2014.[322][323] In February 2013, it was announced that it would also hold a Paralympic athletics event on 28 July.[324] Sainsbury's were announced as sponsors and the event was renamed the "Anniversary Games".[325][326] The London Grand Prix was scheduled to move permanently to the stadium in 2016. However, due to the 2015 Rugby World Cup taking place in the stadium, using the original seating configuration. The meeting moved to the stadium a year early again under the name of the Anniversary Games.[327][328][329][330][331]

In 2016 the IPC Grand Prix events were incorporated alongside Diamond League events on the second day of the meet.[332] The 2017 Muller Anniversary Games was shortened to a one-day event on Sunday 9 July 2017.[333] Before it returned to a two-day event in 2018.[334] The 2020 event was scheduled to take place on the 4–5 July. However, the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[335] The 2021 event, scheduled to be reduced to a single day and take place on 13 July.[336] As the meeting was the only event taking place that summer in the stadium, the LLDC paid UK Athletics to stage it elsewhere.[337][338] After a three-year hiatus, the event returned to London Stadium as a single day event on 23 July 2023.[339]

World records have been set at the meeting in the stadium by Tom Bosworth in the 3000 metres walk.[340] Kendra Harrison broke the women's 100 m hurdles world record, a time which has existed for 28 years in 2016.[341] Diamond League records have been set in the stadium by Nickisha Pryce in the 400 metres,[342] Femke Bol in the 400 metres hurdles twice,[342][343] and Sifan Hassan in mile.[344] European records have been set in the stadium during the meetings by Matthew Hudson-Smith in the 400 metres,[345] and Karsten Warholm in the 400 metres hurdles.[346] Hassan has twice set the European record for the 5000 metres.[347][348]The women's 100m African record was twice set by Blessing Okagbare.[349] Asian records have been set by Zhenye Xie in the 200 meteres,[350]

At the event, David Weir set a world record for the T54 mile.[351] Georgina Hermitage (400 m T37) and Sophie Hahn (100 m T38) set world records.[352] Kare Adenegan and Sophie Hahn set world record times in the T34 100 m and T38 200 m events.[353]

The stadium had hosted the Great Newham London Run in 2015 and 2016[354][355] In February 2018, London Stadium was announced as the venue for the inaugural Athletics World Cup. The event was held on 14 and 15 July,[356] and was won by the United States of America.[357]

Football

[edit]
Players of West Ham United and NK Domžale before the game

West Ham United play at this stadium, having moved from their former Boleyn Ground in August 2016.[358][359] The opening game for West Ham was a Europa League match against NK Domžale on 4 August 2016,[360] which West Ham won 3–0 with the stadium sold out, albeit with a reduced capacity of 54,000 as conversion works were still being finished.[361] The official opening match was a friendly with Juventus on 7 August with a 2–3 defeat.[362] West Ham's first Premier League match at the stadium was against AFC Bournemouth with an attendance of 56,977.[363] Watford were the first Premier League side to beat West Ham at London Stadium, overcoming a two-goal deficit to beat West Ham 4–2.[364][365]

The 2021–22 National League play-off final to decide who wins promotion to the English Football League was held at the stadium as Wembley Stadium was unavailable.[366] Grimsby Town F.C. defeated Solihull Moors F.C. 2–1 after extra time.[367]

The stadium has hosted many charity football matches. It hosted the 2022 edition of Soccer Aid where a World XI defeated an England XI in a penalty shootout.[368] It also hosted the 2023 Sidemen Charity Match on 9 September 2023. Sidemen defeated the YouTube all stars 8–5 with £2,425,855 being raised for charity.[369] Sellebrity Soccer held an event in 2024 and 2025.[370][371]

The stadium hosted its first ever international football match on 22 March 2024 between Spain and Colombia, drawing a crowd of 44,000.[372]

Baseball

[edit]
London Stadium in a baseball configuration for the 2019 MLB London Series.

On 8 May 2018, Major League Baseball announced a two-year deal to host a series of baseball games at London Stadium in 2019 and 2020.[373] In its baseball configuration, London Stadium had a capacity of 66,000;[374] plans were prepared to adjust the seating to emulate the "intimate" experience and amenities of American baseball stadiums, as well as constructing larger locker rooms akin to the clubhouses of U.S. parks. A new playing surface was overlaid on top of the stadium's existing grass.[375]

The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees played a two-game series at the stadium from 29 to 30 June 2019, the first MLB regular season games ever played in Europe.[376] Branded as the 2019 MLB London Series, the Yankees won both games.[377] Prior to the 2019 games, it was announced that the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals would play games at the stadium in 2020;[378] however, this series was cancelled as the result of the COVID-19 pandemic.[379] The two teams did appear in 2023 when the London Series resumed,[380] sharing the games.[381] The deal was extended to have games in 2024 and 2026.[382]

Motorsport

[edit]
Race of Champions at the stadium.

In November 2015 the stadium hosted the 2015 Race of Champions event. It was the first occasion since 2008 that Great Britain hosted the event, with Wembley Stadium last staging the contest in the country.[383] The English team of Andy Priaulx and Jason Plato won the nations cup whilst Sebastian Vettel took the Champion of Champions crown.[384][385]

In 2022, 2023 and 2024 the stadium hosted Monster Jam.[386][387][388] FIM World Supercross Championship will be hosted for the first time in London at the stadium in 2025.[389]

Rugby league

[edit]

The first rugby league match at the stadium was played between the England national rugby league team and the New Zealand national rugby league team on 7 November 2015, it was the second test of a three-test series between the sides.[390][391] The venue also hosted the match between England and Australia as part of the 2016 Rugby League Four Nations.[392]

Test# Date Team 1 Score Team 2 Attendance Notes
1 7 November 2015  England 2–9  New Zealand 44,393[393] 2015 Baskerville Shield
2 13 November 2016  England 18–36  Australia 35,569 2016 Four Nations

Rugby union

[edit]

2015 World Cup

[edit]
France playing Romania at the Olympic Stadium during the 2015 Rugby World Cup

In July 2012 the Olympic Park Legacy Company submitted a bid to England Rugby 2015 to host some matches of the 2015 Rugby World Cup. On 2 May 2013, it was announced that the Olympic Stadium was due to host four Pool matches during the World Cup and the Bronze final.[394] The first rugby union match at the stadium took place on 29 August 2015 as part of a testing programme ahead of the World Cup. The match featured the first-ever game between the invitational Barbarians side and Samoa.[395][396] The Barbarians won 27–24, with Samoa having Kane Thompson sent off for punching. The game was delayed when pitch sprinklers came on during the first half.[397][398]

Date Competition Home team Score Away team Attendance
29 August 2015 2015 Rugby World Cup Warm-up Barbarians 27–24  Samoa 41,039[399]
23 September 2015 2015 Rugby World Cup Pool D  France 38–11  Romania 50,626[400]
24 September 2015 2015 Rugby World Cup Pool C  New Zealand 58–14  Namibia 51,820[401]
4 October 2015 2015 Rugby World Cup Pool D  Ireland 16–9  Italy 53,187[402]
7 October 2015 2015 Rugby World Cup Pool B  South Africa 64–0  United States 54,658[403]
30 October 2015 2015 Rugby World Cup Bronze final  South Africa 24–13  Argentina 55,925[404]

Premiership Rugby

[edit]

At fixture launch on 7 July 2017, it was announced that Saracens would host their annual Derby Day clash against Harlequins at London Stadium on 24 March 2018. This was the first time since 2010 that this fixture did not take place at Wembley.[405] The match ended in a 24–11 win for Saracens in front of a crowd of 55,329 and was the first-ever Premiership Rugby match at the stadium.[406][407] The match was repeated in 2019 which ended as a 27–20 win for Saracens in front of a crowd of 42,717.[408][409]

Concerts

[edit]
The London Stadium for Iron Maiden's "Run for your lives" tour

Since opening in 2016 the stadium has hosted a number of concerts, with Australian rock band AC/DC playing the first concert on the venue after the Olympic Games.

List of concerts showing date, headlining artist or band, name of concert or tour and opening acts
Date Headlining Artist Concert or Tour Opening acts Attendance
4 June 2016 AC/DC Rock or Bust World Tour Tyler Bryant & the Shakedown
3 June 2017 Depeche Mode Global Spirit Tour The Horrors 65,191 / 65,191[410]
16 June 2017 Guns N' Roses Not in This Lifetime... Tour The Kills
Tyler Bryant & the Shakedown
17 June 2017
23 June 2017 Robbie Williams The Heavy Entertainment Show Tour Erasure
22 May 2018 The Rolling Stones No Filter Tour Liam Gallagher
25 May 2018 Florence and the Machine
15 June 2018 Beyoncé & Jay-Z On the Run II Tour 126,443 / 126,443[411]
16 June 2018
22 June 2018 Foo Fighters Concrete and Gold Tour Wolf Alice
Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes
23 June 2018 The Kills
Slaves
Starcrawlers
1 June 2019 Muse Simulation Theory World Tour Tom Morello
Pale Waves
24 June 2022 Green Day
Fall Out Boy
Weezer
Hella Mega Tour Amyl and the Sniffers
25 June 2022 Red Hot Chili Peppers Global Stadium Tour Anderson .Paak & Free Nationals
Thundercat
26 June 2022 A$AP Rocky
Thundercat
3 June 2023 Burna Boy Love, Damini Tour
7 July 2023 The Weeknd After Hours til Dawn Tour Kaytranada
Mike Dean
8 July 2023
20 June 2024 Foo Fighters Everything or Nothing at All Tour Wet Leg
Shame
22 June 2024 Courtney Barnett
Hot Milk
6 June 2025 Sam Fender People Watching Tour CMAT (musician)

Olivia Dean

82,500/82,500[14]
28 June 2025 Iron Maiden Run for Your Lives World Tour Halestorm
The Raven Age
25 June 2026 Take That The Circus Live – Summer 2026 The Script
Belinda Carlisle
26 June 2026
27 June 2026
3 July 2026 Metallica M72 World Tour Gojira
Knocked Loose
5 July 2026 Pantera
Avatar

Transport

[edit]

Rail

[edit]

The stadium is located in the south of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Stratford and Stratford International railway stations are the main stations nearest to the Olympic Park and are roughly a 20-minute walk to the stadium.[412] Stratford International is served by Southeastern trains on High Speed 1 offering four trains per hour to St Pancras International, as well as other services to Kent, while Stratford station has London Overground services to North, West and South London, Elizabeth line services to Shenfield, Reading, Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3, Heathrow Terminal 5, and is on the Great Eastern Main Line to London Liverpool Street and East Anglia.[412] Stratford is on London Underground's Jubilee and Central lines to Central London and the Docklands Light Railway (DLR).[412] The DLR offers a direct service to London City Airport. In addition, Hackney Wick (London Overground) and Pudding Mill Lane (DLR) serve the stadium but may be closed during larger events due to capacity limitations.[413]

Stations nearby:

Service Station(s) Lines
London Overground London Overground Hackney Wick Disabled access
Stratford Disabled access
London Overground North London Line
Docklands Light Railway Docklands Light Railway Pudding Mill Lane Disabled access
Stratford Disabled access
Stratford International Disabled access
Docklands Light Railway Lewisham/Canary Wharf-Stratford
Docklands Light Railway Stratford International–Beckton/Woolwich Arsenal
London Underground London Underground Stratford Disabled access
Central line
National Rail National Rail Stratford Disabled access Great Eastern Main Line
West Anglia Main Line
Lea Valley Lines
Stratford International Disabled access High Speed 1
Elizabeth line Elizabeth Line Stratford Disabled access Elizabeth line

Road

[edit]

The nearest public car parks for the stadium are at Westfield Stratford City, Stratford International station, and the Stratford Centre.[414] The Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park also has several docking stations for the London Cycle Hire scheme.[412]

Bus and coach

[edit]

The following routes serve London Stadium directly:[414][415]

Route Start End Areas
108 Lewisham bus station Docklands Light Railway National Rail Stratford International station Docklands Light Railway National Rail East London, South-East London, South London
308 Wanstead Clapton East London
339 Shadwell station Docklands Light Railway London Overground Leytonstone station London Underground East London, North-East London
388 Elephant & Castle Stratford City bus station London Buses Central London, East London, South London

A further 17 services use Stratford bus station and Stratford City bus station, which offer a network of services across East London. In addition, route 25 from City Thameslink serves Central London.[414]

National Express coach services to Stratford bus station provide a direct connection to Stansted Airport[416] and several other routes to Essex and East Anglia.[417]

See also

[edit]

Note

[edit]
  1. ^ A subsidiary of London Stadium LLP.

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
London Stadium is a multi-purpose outdoor stadium situated in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford, East London, England. Originally built as the principal athletics venue for the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, it features a distinctive lightweight steel and tensile roof structure designed by architects Populous. Following extensive post-Games reconfiguration between 2013 and 2016, the stadium now primarily serves as the home ground for Premier League club West Ham United, with a reduced seating capacity of 62,500 for football matches and up to 80,000 for concerts.[1][2][3] The stadium's construction, commencing in 2008, incurred significant cost overruns, with the total expenditure exceeding £700 million, far surpassing initial estimates of around £280 million, largely funded by public taxpayers. This transformation into a football-oriented venue cost an additional £272 million in contracts, enabling multi-use for sports, athletics, and entertainment while preserving elements like the running track beneath retractable seating. It has hosted notable events beyond football, including major music concerts by artists such as The Weeknd and Red Hot Chili Peppers, and serves as a base for UK Athletics.[4][5][2] However, the stadium's legacy has been marked by controversies, particularly the tenancy agreement with West Ham United, under which the club pays minimal annual rent of approximately £2.5 million plus a one-time £15 million contribution toward conversion, leaving substantial operational subsidies—over £8 million yearly—to fall on public funds. Critics highlight the design's unsuitability for football, with the elevated seating bowl creating poor sightlines and diminished atmosphere compared to traditional grounds, contributing to fan dissatisfaction despite average attendances around 62,000. Legal disputes over payments and maintenance have further underscored financial strains, though the venue supports local regeneration in a formerly industrial area.[6][7][8][9]

Background and Planning

Site Selection and Location

The site for the London Stadium was selected in Stratford, within the Lower Lea Valley of East London, as the central venue for the 2012 Summer Olympics athletics events. This location formed part of a 560-acre brownfield area previously characterized by derelict industrial land, contaminated soil, and underutilized infrastructure, spanning the boroughs of Newham, Tower Hamlets, and Hackney.[10] The choice prioritized urban regeneration in a deprived region, aiming to transform the area into a legacy development including housing, commercial spaces, and public amenities post-Games.[11] London's bid for the 2012 Olympics, awarded by the International Olympic Committee on 6 July 2005, emphasized Stratford's selection due to its alignment with sustainable development goals and the potential for long-term economic revitalization.[12] The site's proximity to existing transport hubs, including Stratford station served by the Central and Jubilee Underground lines, National Rail services, and the Docklands Light Railway, facilitated accessibility for an estimated 4 million spectators during the Games while minimizing new infrastructure demands.[13] Pre-bid assessments identified the Lower Lea Valley's flood-prone but remediable terrain as suitable for large-scale venue construction, with remediation efforts addressing historical pollution from nearby chemical works and railways.[14] The Olympic Park's positioning adjacent to the Stratford City redevelopment project enabled integrated planning, incorporating the stadium in the southern zone to optimize event flow and post-Olympic adaptability. This strategic location supported the bid's commitment to legacy benefits, such as job creation and improved connectivity, over alternative sites lacking comparable regeneration imperatives.[15]

Design Brief and Objectives

The design brief for the London Stadium, initially specified as the Olympic Stadium by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) in 2007, required a multi-purpose venue capable of hosting the opening and closing ceremonies, athletics competitions, and Paralympic events for the 2012 Summer Olympics, with a seated capacity of 80,000.[16] This capacity was achieved through a hybrid structure of permanent lower seating tiers and temporary upper tiers, enabling post-Games reconfiguration to approximately 25,000 permanent seats to support legacy community and sporting uses. The brief prioritized adaptability to prevent the stadium from becoming an underutilized "white elephant," incorporating modular elements that could be dismantled or repurposed after the events.[17] Sustainability formed a core objective, with the ODA mandating the use of low-carbon materials, including 25% recycled steel, and a lightweight design to minimize embodied energy and construction waste—targeting a 50% reduction in materials compared to prior Olympic stadiums.[18] The brief also emphasized environmental integration, such as passive ventilation, rainwater harvesting, and proximity to transport links within the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, to reduce operational carbon emissions and enhance long-term viability.[19] Cost constraints were integral, with the total budget allocated at £537 million, driving decisions like an open-air configuration without a fixed roof to avoid unnecessary expense while maintaining functionality for track-and-field requirements.[16] Architectural firm Populous (formerly HOK Sport) was selected in 2007 to deliver the brief's vision of an iconic yet restrained structure, featuring a skeletal steel exoskeleton and translucent polycarbonate roof panels to evoke lightness and permeability, aligning with broader Olympic goals of inspiring urban regeneration in East London. These objectives reflected the ODA's commitment to embedding sustainability and legacy planning from inception, informed by lessons from previous Games like Athens 2004, where unused venues highlighted the risks of inflexible designs.[20]

Construction and Design

Construction Process and Timeline

The construction of the London Stadium, initially designated as the Olympic Stadium for the 2012 Summer Olympics, was overseen by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) as part of the broader Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park development in Stratford, east London. Site preparation commenced in 2007 with the demolition of approximately 190 industrial buildings and remediation of contaminated brownfield land, creating a diamond-shaped island site between the River Lea and its tributary. This enabling works phase, essential for stabilizing the ground and installing utilities, paved the way for venue-specific construction.[21][22] Principal construction activities began on 22 May 2008, three months ahead of the original schedule due to accelerated site clearance. The process involved driving over 2,000 deep concrete piles into the ground to support the 80,000-seat structure on unstable soil, followed by erection of the permanent lower concrete seating bowl. The upper tier, designed as a temporary modular steel framework to facilitate post-Games downsizing, was prefabricated off-site and assembled progressively. The lightweight roof, comprising 52 white steel cables supporting a translucent ETFE fabric membrane spanning 315 meters, was installed in sections, emphasizing sustainability through low-carbon concrete and recycled materials.[23][24][16] Key milestones included completion of the external structure by mid-2009, roughly 14 months after groundbreaking, and full handover to the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) in July 2011 after internal fit-out and testing. The project adhered to a compressed 34-month timeline from design finalization to operational readiness, involving an integrated team led by architects Populous and contractors Balfour Beatty, with engineering by Buro Happold. Despite initial budget estimates of £280 million, construction costs escalated to approximately £429 million due to design refinements and material specifications, though delivered on the accelerated schedule without major delays.[25][26]

Architectural Features and Stadium Interior

The London Stadium, originally designed by Populous for the 2012 Olympics, features a lightweight steel superstructure atop a concrete podium, emphasizing demountability for post-event adaptability. The upper bowl and roof utilize bolted connections in a bespoke steel framework, allowing sections to be dismantled without permanent fixtures, which reduced construction weight to approximately 65,000 tonnes total—far lighter than comparable venues like Beijing's Olympic Stadium.[27] The roof structure comprises a 900-meter ring truss supported by inclined tubular steel columns in a zigzagging pattern, evoking a bicycle-wheel design, with 112 PVC-coated polyester membrane panels spanning 24,500 square meters and providing partial coverage over the original seating areas. This exoskeleton of white tubular steel diagonals articulates externally, creating an elegant, open aesthetic while minimizing material use at 10,000 tonnes of steel for the roof alone.[28][29][27] Post-2012 conversion for football tenancy involved installing a new cable-net supported roof with articulated steel trusses, fully covering all seats to enhance acoustics by reflecting crowd noise downward and shielding from weather, completed by 2017 as part of the £323 million transformation. The interior seating bowl, with black and white tiers for visual neutrality, originally accommodated 80,000 spectators around an athletics track; for football, the lower tier retracts and advances via rail systems to eliminate the track gap, reducing capacity to 62,500 while positioning fans approximately 12 meters closer to the pitch.[30][31][32] Additional interior elements include demountable floodlight masts lowered and relocated post-Olympics to lower the venue profile, and modular concourses with integrated spectator pathways that maintain sightlines across configurations. The design prioritizes multi-use flexibility, enabling rapid switches between football, athletics, and concerts through removable pitch systems and adjustable flooring, as demonstrated in seasonal transformations.[30]

Initial Public and Critical Response

The design of the London Olympic Stadium, unveiled in July 2007 by Populous, received mixed reactions from architectural critics, who praised its emphasis on sustainability and adaptability—such as the use of a lightweight, demountable upper tier to minimize post-Games waste—but criticized it for lacking the visual dynamism promised in the 2005 bid's conceptual renderings.[33][31] Critics likened the structure's concrete bowl and cable-supported roof to a utilitarian gasholder, arguing it prioritized functionality over architectural ambition, with one review noting it as "a very simple building with a very tight, compelling bowl" yet devoid of flair attributable to lead designer Peter Cook.[33] As construction progressed from May 2008 amid budget escalations—from an initial bid estimate of £280 million to a revised £429 million by 2007 and ultimately £486 million for completion—public discourse focused on fiscal prudence, particularly following the 2008 financial crisis, though direct opinion polls on the stadium were limited.[4][34] A January 2012 Populus poll for The Times found two-thirds of Britons impressed by the construction industry's overall delivery of Olympic venues, reflecting broad approval of on-schedule progress despite cost pressures.[35] Pre-Games architectural assessments in 2012 reiterated earlier critiques, with figures like Piers Gough describing the stadium as an "Ikea stadium"—sparse and pragmatic—while Amanda Levete deemed it "unremarkable" and a missed chance for iconicity akin to Beijing's Bird's Nest, though its engineering efficiency for temporary use was conceded.[36] These views highlighted a tension between the stadium's engineered restraint, intended to avoid long-term white elephants through modular deconstruction, and expectations for a landmark befitting the Olympics.[20]

Use During 2012 Olympics

Events Hosted and Operational Role

The Olympic Stadium hosted the opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics on 27 July 2012, directed by Danny Boyle and featuring performances celebrating British history and culture, including a notable segment with Queen Elizabeth II and James Bond.[37] It served as the central venue for all athletics events, encompassing 47 track and field competitions from 3 August to 12 August 2012, such as the men's 100 metres final on 5 August won by Usain Bolt and the women's marathon start on 5 August, though road events finished elsewhere.[38] The stadium also accommodated the closing ceremony on 12 August 2012, titled "A Symphony of British Music," which included athlete parades and musical performances by acts like Ray Davies and the Spice Girls.[39] Operationally, the stadium functioned as the Games' flagship athletics facility within the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, with a capacity of 80,000 spectators supported by temporary upper tiers designed for disassembly post-event to reduce long-term maintenance costs.[40][24] Managed by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), it integrated Mondo track surfacing for optimal performance, extensive broadcast infrastructure for global coverage, and logistical systems handling up to 10,000 athletes, officials, and staff daily during peak periods.[41] The venue's design emphasized sustainability, with low-carbon materials and modular construction enabling efficient operations, including rapid setup for ceremonies and competition sessions that ran from morning heats to evening finals under floodlights.[42] This role underscored its position as the symbolic heart of the Olympics, drawing over 5 million total visitors across events while adhering to International Olympic Committee standards for security, accessibility, and environmental impact.[43]

Post-Olympic Conversion and Legacy Planning

Redevelopment Challenges and Modifications

The post-Olympic redevelopment of the London Stadium faced substantial technical and financial hurdles in transforming it from a temporary athletics venue into a sustainable multi-use facility. A primary challenge was reconciling the International Olympic Committee's and UK Athletics' insistence on retaining the running track for legacy purposes with the demands of Premier League football, which typically requires track removal to optimize sightlines and atmosphere. This compromise necessitated placing additional seating tiers directly in front of the track, resulting in elevated viewing positions that distanced football spectators from the pitch and drew criticism for diluting the matchday experience, despite evidence from prior Olympic venues indicating such hybrid designs often prove commercially unviable.[44][45][46] Financial pressures compounded these design constraints, with conversion costs ballooning to £323 million by November 2016—more than double initial estimates of £160-200 million—due to unforeseen engineering complexities, delays in procurement, and added expenditures for features like retractable seating mechanisms. These overruns were attributed to optimistic budgeting, contractual disputes with contractors such as Balfour Beatty, and scope changes to meet legacy commitments, prompting independent reviews that highlighted governance lapses under the London Legacy Development Corporation.[6][47][48] To address these issues, key structural modifications were implemented between 2013 and 2016. The lightweight fabric roof used during the Olympics was dismantled and replaced with a permanent, cable-net-supported translucent roof—the world's largest cantilevered stadium roof—covering all 66,000 seats to provide full weather protection, improved acoustics, and enhanced lighting for events. The athletics track was preserved, but the pitch was lowered by 2.5 meters, and approximately 9,000 relocatable seats were added in a new lower bowl tier to position football fans closer to the action, enabling modular reconfiguration between athletics and football modes via a rail-mounted seating system.[30][44][49]

Initial Tenancy Negotiations and Cancellations

The Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) launched formal bidding for a long-term lease of the stadium on August 18, 2010, following earlier expressions of interest, with a submission deadline of September 30, 2010, and an aim to finalize agreements by March 2011.[50] The process sought proposals balancing football tenancy with multi-use functionality and Olympic athletics legacy, amid concerns over retaining the running track.[51] West Ham United, partnering with Newham Council, and Tottenham Hotspur emerged as the shortlisted bidders by November 12, 2010.[50] West Ham's proposal preserved the athletics track while converting the venue for Premier League football from the 2013-14 season onward, including a £40 million contribution from Newham toward conversion costs.[51] Tottenham's alternative bid advocated demolishing the stadium for a dedicated football configuration and relocating athletics events to Crystal Palace National Sports Centre.[51] On February 11, 2011, the OPLC board unanimously endorsed West Ham's bid in a 14-0 vote, prioritizing athletics retention and legacy alignment over Tottenham's demolition plan, which was deemed incompatible with international athletics commitments.[50][51] Government approval followed on March 3, 2011, from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and Mayor Boris Johnson, advancing negotiations toward a lease agreement.[50] Legal challenges soon arose: Tottenham filed a judicial review on April 13, 2011, contesting Newham's £40 million loan as state aid distorting the bidding process, while Leyton Orient launched a parallel High Court claim over competition impacts.[50][51] A High Court judge rejected both applications on June 23, 2011, but appeals prolonged uncertainty; additionally, on July 1, 2011, an OPLC director was suspended amid allegations of undisclosed West Ham connections, fueling perceptions of bidding irregularities, though the individual was later exonerated.[51] Tottenham withdrew its appeal in August 2011 to pursue its own stadium development at White Hart Lane.[51] The protracted litigation induced "legal paralysis," prompting the OPLC board to terminate West Ham negotiations on October 11, 2011, canceling the initial tenancy award and reverting the stadium to public ownership without a committed anchor tenant.[50][51] This collapse incurred an immediate £95 million public liability for conversion works previously anticipated as partially privately funded, while necessitating a restarted tender process to resolve the venue's post-Games viability.[52]

West Ham United Tenancy Agreement

West Ham United secured a 99-year lease as the anchor tenant of the London Stadium in March 2013, following a protracted bidding process that included legal challenges from rival Tottenham Hotspur.[53][54] The agreement, executed between West Ham Holding Ltd and E20 Stadium LLP—a joint venture involving the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) and Newham Legacy Investments Limited—enabled the club to relocate from Upton Park starting in the 2016-17 Premier League season.[55][56] The core financial terms required West Ham to pay £2.5 million annually in rent for up to 25 home matches, equating to roughly £100,000 per fixture or £48,000 weekly for the 60,000-capacity venue.[57][58] This payment halves to £1.25 million if the club suffers relegation from the top flight, plus a £100,000 fee for any additional matches.[59] West Ham also committed £15 million toward the stadium's £272 million-plus conversion from Olympic athletics configuration to multi-purpose football use, though the bulk of these costs—covering seating reconfiguration, pitch installation, and roof enhancements—fell on public funding via the LLDC.[6][57] Notably, the lease exempts West Ham from operational expenses such as maintenance, cleaning, heating, and policing, with the stadium operator absorbing these via taxpayer subsidies; rent alone has been insufficient to cover even match-day staging costs.[60][61] Revenue from non-football events and concessions is shared, but West Ham retains priority booking rights and veto power over naming rights changes.[62] Adjusted for inflation and contractual escalators, annual rent rose to £3.6 million by 2022 and exceeded £4 million by 2025.[63][64] The arrangement has drawn scrutiny for favoring the club amid persistent stadium losses exceeding £20 million yearly, prompting discussions of West Ham purchasing the venue outright, though no such transaction has materialized as of 2025.[65] Disputes over expanded seating capacity—West Ham sought 9,000 additional seats—and supplementary contributions led to arbitrations resolved in the club's favor, including a 2025 court ruling affirming lease interpretations.[66][67] Critics, including local authorities, argue the terms reflect flawed legacy planning, subsidizing West Ham's operations while athletics retains secondary tenancy rights under UK Athletics' parallel agreement.[68]

Operational Management and Usage

Stadium Operators and Governance Changes

Following the 2012 Olympics, the London Stadium was managed under a joint venture known as E20 Stadium LLP, formed between the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) and Newham Legacy Investments Limited to oversee operations and legacy use.[69] E20 Stadium LLP appointed London Stadium 185 Limited (LS185), initially a subsidiary of VINCI Stadium, as the day-to-day operator responsible for venue management, event programming, and maintenance.[69] [42] In 2017, Newham Council withdrew from the E20 partnership, transferring its stake to the LLDC, which thereby gained full control of the entity.[70] In January 2019, with mayoral approval, E20 Stadium LLP acquired LS185 from VINCI, integrating operational control more directly under public oversight while retaining LS185's management role.[70] The LLDC further consolidated governance by purchasing LS185 outright later that year, ensuring alignment with legacy objectives amid ongoing financial scrutiny of stadium operations.[70] A significant governance shift occurred in January 2025, when ownership of E20 Stadium LLP and LS185 transferred from the LLDC to GLA Holdings Limited, a subsidiary of the Greater London Authority, to streamline asset management under the Mayor's direct purview and reduce layered public entity involvement.[71] [70] [72] This change maintained LS185's operational continuity without altering core agreements, though it prompted reviews of service provisions like finance, HR, and legal support previously supplied by the LLDC.[71] [73] In May 2025, LS185's board underwent restructuring, with former LLDC Chief Executive Lyn Garner appointed as chair and sports industry executives Mike Papadimitriou (ex-IMG) and Sarah Matthew (ex-Formula One) added as non-executive directors to enhance commercial expertise and event attraction capabilities.[74] These appointments reflect efforts to address persistent operational challenges, including revenue diversification beyond West Ham United's tenancy, amid criticisms of prior governance for insufficient financial independence.[74]

Major Events Hosted

The London Stadium hosted five pool-stage matches during the 2015 Rugby World Cup, marking its first major post-Olympic sporting event and drawing significant international crowds before full conversion to its primary football configuration. These included France's 38-11 win over Romania on September 23, New Zealand's 58-14 defeat of Namibia on September 24, Ireland's 16-9 victory against Italy on October 4, and South Africa's 64-0 rout of the United States on October 7.[75][76] From August 4 to 13, 2017, the stadium served as the primary venue for the IAAF World Championships in Athletics, accommodating over 2 million tickets sold across the event and featuring competitions in track and field disciplines such as the men's 100m final won by Justin Gatlin. This marked the first time the championships returned to London since 2003 and highlighted the venue's retained athletics track, despite criticisms of reduced capacity and sightlines post-Olympic modifications.[77][77] Beyond sports, the stadium has become a key venue for large-scale music concerts, leveraging its flexible configuration for non-football programming. Notable performances include AC/DC's June 2016 show as part of their Rock or Bust World Tour, which attracted over 70,000 attendees, and subsequent headline acts such as Guns N' Roses in 2017, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Weeknd, and Burna Boy in recent years, often selling out to capacities exceeding 60,000. These events have generated substantial revenue but faced logistical challenges, including transport strains and noise complaints from nearby residents.[30][2]

Football and Athletics Programming

The London Stadium functions as the primary home venue for West Ham United F.C. in the Premier League, accommodating the club's 19 home league fixtures each season, alongside domestic cup competitions such as the FA Cup and EFL Cup, and European matches when qualified.[78][79] The stadium's configuration for football provides a seated capacity of 62,500 spectators, following expansions approved in 2019 and further adjustments in 2022 to enhance matchday attendance.[42][80] This setup includes UEFA Category Four status, enabling high-profile international fixtures.[42] For athletics, the stadium serves as the national centre for UK Athletics, hosting elite track and field competitions year-round, with a focus on summer events to leverage optimal weather and align with the international calendar.[81] Key programming includes the annual Novuna London Athletics Meet, part of the Diamond League series, which draws top global athletes for disciplines such as sprints, hurdles, and field events; the 2025 edition occurred on 19 July and sold out in advance.[82][83] The venue's athletics configuration retains the Olympic-era track, supporting events like the British Championships and indoor meets, though attendance varies by configuration, typically filling lower tiers for Diamond League gatherings.[84][85] Programming balances football and athletics through seasonal scheduling, with athletics peaking in July to avoid overlap with the Premier League's intensive autumn-winter phase, ensuring the track's temporary covering for pitch protection during football games.[86] This dual-use model has enabled consistent elite competition, including world-leading performances in events like the 100m and 400m hurdles at recent meets.[87]

Other Sports and Entertainment Events

London Stadium has hosted Major League Baseball regular-season games as part of the MLB London Series, aimed at expanding the sport's international presence. The inaugural series occurred on 29–30 June 2019, featuring the Boston Red Sox against the New York Yankees, with attendances of 59,659 and 60,030 spectators, respectively. Subsequent series included the Washington Nationals versus the Boston Red Sox on 24–25 June 2023, and the New York Mets against the Philadelphia Phillies on 8–9 June 2024, each comprising two games adapted to the stadium's configuration with temporary pitch installations.[88][89] The venue has also accommodated various other sports events, including rugby union matches during its early post-Olympic phase, such as fixtures associated with the 2015 Rugby World Cup and domestic internationals, though primary rugby hosting has been limited compared to specialized venues like Twickenham.[42] In entertainment, London Stadium functions as a major concert arena, hosting large-scale music performances since 2016 to diversify usage beyond sports. Notable events include Adele's record-breaking four-night residency from 28 June to 14 July 2017, attracting over 214,000 attendees across the shows, and subsequent concerts by acts such as Guns N' Roses in June 2017 and AC/DC in 2019. The stadium's design supports high-capacity crowds for such events, with recent and upcoming performances by artists like Iron Maiden in June 2025 and Metallica in July 2026 underscoring its role in the UK live music scene.[42][90][91]

Recent Developments and Sustainability Efforts

In 2024, London Stadium initiated a £4.35 million solar power project, installing 6,500 square metres of thin-film photovoltaic membrane panels across its roof to generate approximately 1 million kWh of renewable energy annually.[92][93] The installation, approved in October 2024 and completed by summer 2025, enables the stadium to power all major events—including West Ham United matches and concerts—using solar energy, reducing carbon emissions by over 200 tonnes per year and cutting overall energy use by 10-15%.[94][95] This positions the venue among the world's greenest stadiums, with the system operational as of July 2025.[96] Complementing the solar initiative, the stadium upgraded to a state-of-the-art LED lighting system in recent years, enhancing floodlights, spectator areas, and back-of-house illumination for improved energy efficiency and visibility during events.[97] West Ham United has implemented operational sustainability measures, such as eliminating single-use plastics by adopting paper straws, fully compostable Vegeware cutlery, and wooden stirrers at concessions, alongside food waste reduction programs that donated surplus to local communities in 2023.[98][99] A sustainability and restoration fee is applied to tickets to fund these projects and long-term maintenance.[100] Governance shifted in April 2025, with the stadium operator renaming to London Stadium LLP following the dissolution of prior arrangements with the London Legacy Development Corporation, granting West Ham United greater operational control akin to tenant-led models at other Premier League venues.[101] These changes aim to address ongoing financial and usage challenges while prioritizing environmental goals, though critics note persistent operational losses despite green upgrades.[102]

Financial Aspects

Total Costs of Construction and Conversion

The construction of the London Stadium, originally designed as the Olympic Stadium for the 2012 Summer Olympics, incurred a final cost of £429 million, significantly exceeding the initial estimate of £280 million due to design changes, inflation, and construction delays.[4] These costs were primarily funded by public sources, including the UK National Lottery and central government contributions as part of the broader £9.3 billion Olympic Park development budget.[103] Post-Olympics redevelopment to adapt the venue for primary use as a football stadium by West Ham United added £272 million in transformation expenses, covering installations such as a retractable lower tier seating bowl, the world's largest cantilevered roof, and enhanced pitch infrastructure to meet Premier League standards.[5] [104] West Ham contributed £15 million toward these conversion works, with the remainder borne by public funds via the London Legacy Development Corporation.[4] The combined expenditure for construction and conversion thus totaled £701 million by mid-2015, reflecting substantial cost overruns from the original projections and highlighting fiscal pressures on taxpayers for legacy adaptations.[4] [105] Subsequent minor reconfiguration costs, such as £6 million for reversible multi-use setups between football and athletics configurations, have added incrementally but remain separate from the core redevelopment phase.[106]

Ongoing Operational Losses and Taxpayer Subsidies

The London Stadium, managed by E20 Stadium LLP—a publicly owned entity under the Greater London Authority (GLA)—has generated ongoing operational losses since its conversion for multi-purpose use following the 2012 Olympics, with these shortfalls covered by public funding derived from taxpayer contributions via the GLA's budget. For the financial year ending May 31, 2024, E20 Stadium LLP reported a total loss of £20.9 million, despite revenues from West Ham United matches, concerts, and other events.[107] [108] This equates to an average annual subsidy from the GLA of approximately £17 million to offset deficits passed through the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC).[70] Earlier periods reflect similar patterns of unprofitability. For the year ended March 31, 2024, the stadium entity recorded an underlying operating loss of £13.2 million, an improvement from £15.3 million in 2022/23, though group-wide losses remained substantial amid high maintenance and reconfiguration costs for football configuration.[73] In the prior year to March 31, 2023, revenues totaled £6.3 million—largely from West Ham's rent contributions—yet still yielded a net operating loss exceeding £11 million.[109] These persistent deficits arise from elevated running costs, including pitch protection and seating adjustments, outpacing income from limited non-football programming. Public scrutiny has highlighted the per-event burden, with GLA officials confirming that each West Ham home match incurs higher net costs to taxpayers than non-matchday operations, contributing to an estimated £4 million annual shortfall under the 2013 tenancy terms.[110] Over the 99-year lease, this structure imposes a projected £400 million in cumulative public costs, often termed a "tax bomb" by critics of the original deal.[110] Funding flows from GLA allocations, including council tax precepts and grants, sustaining operations despite efforts to diversify events; ownership transferred from LLDC to GLA Holdings Ltd in 2025, but subsidy mechanisms persist.[70]

Lease Terms and Revenue Distribution

The tenancy agreement between West Ham United and the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC), operator of the London Stadium via E20 Stadium LLP, establishes a 99-year lease commencing in 2016 following the stadium's conversion for football use.[111] West Ham committed £15 million toward the stadium's post-Olympics conversion costs, which totaled £323 million, with the remainder funded primarily by public sources including the LLDC and government grants.[6] The lease secures West Ham priority access for Premier League matches, typically 25 home fixtures per season, plus play-offs and cup ties, with provisions for additional games at £100,000 per match.[58] Annual rent is fixed at an initial £2.5 million for Premier League seasons, halved to £1.25 million if relegated, escalating with inflation-linked adjustments to exceed £4 million by 2025; relegation could exacerbate operational subsidies, potentially adding up to £2.5 million annually to the burden on London council taxpayers due to reduced revenues, as estimated by the London Mayor's Chief of Staff in November 2025.[57][64][112] This rent excludes maintenance, utilities, or operational costs, which are borne by E20 Stadium LLP and ultimately taxpayers, as West Ham retains full matchday ticket revenues without contribution to stadium upkeep.[109] Catering revenues are shared, with West Ham receiving 70% after E20 deducts a £500,000 annual threshold, plus full retention from bundled ticket packages; non-matchday catering and concessions from other events accrue to E20.[113] Revenue distribution favors West Ham for football-related income, enabling matchday earnings growth from £10-15 million pre-move to over £50 million annually by 2024, while E20 relies on non-West Ham events, naming rights (unsecured as of 2025), and public subsidies to offset deficits exceeding £20 million yearly.[114][107] The structure, approved in 2013 under Mayor Boris Johnson, has drawn scrutiny for minimal public return despite £752 million total public investment in the stadium, with West Ham funding only a fraction of conversions and operations.[115] Legal disputes, including a 2025 ruling affirming West Ham's revenue protections, underscore the deal's rigidity, with one-off club contributions for improvements but no broader cost-sharing mandates.[64]

Controversies and Criticisms

Design and Functionality Flaws

The retention of the athletics track surrounding the pitch has been a primary design flaw, positioning football spectators at an excessive distance from the action and compromising sightlines. This configuration, inherited from the stadium's original Olympic purpose, elevates the lower seating bowl approximately 20 meters from the pitch edge, making it difficult for fans to engage closely with play and diminishing the intensity of the matchday experience.[45][116][46] The stadium's conversion for West Ham United's tenancy involved installing retractable seating to bridge the gap between the track and stands, but these mechanisms have proven unreliable and costly to maintain, often leaving upper tiers underutilized or vacant during football matches. Operational challenges with the seating system have contributed to ongoing financial losses, as alternative tenants for the elevated sections have been scarce, exacerbating the venue's inefficiency for primary football use.[117][118] Critics, including architects and stadium experts, argue that the fundamental incompatibility between athletics and football requirements—such as optimal pitch proximity for the latter—was evident from the outset, with the design prioritizing temporary Olympic spectacle over long-term multi-sport adaptability. This has resulted in a persistent lack of atmospheric cohesion, as the expansive, bowl-like structure fails to foster the enclosed, raucous environment typical of purpose-built football grounds like West Ham's former Upton Park home. West Ham United fans have voiced strong dissatisfaction with unfulfilled promises by club executives, including vice-chair Karren Brady, concerning the stadium's adaptation for football, particularly the effectiveness of retractable seating and maintenance of an engaging atmosphere comparable to Upton Park. Fans have characterized the venue as soulless and oriented toward tourists rather than dedicated supporters, contributing to calls for boycotts that leave sections of the stadium empty during matches.[119][120] This deficiency has manifested in subdued fan turnout, exemplified by the January 2026 Premier League match against Nottingham Forest, where actual attendance was approximately 34,000 despite an official figure of 62,429.[8][121] The tenancy agreement between West Ham United and the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC), finalized in March 2013 under then-Mayor Boris Johnson, granted the club a 99-year lease at £3 million per season, with the club contributing £15 million toward post-Olympic conversions but the public sector funding the bulk of £323 million in adaptations, including a retractable seating system for athletics legacy use.[60] This structure drew immediate scrutiny for its perceived favoritism toward West Ham, as operational costs such as policing, stewarding, and maintenance—estimated at up to £2.5 million annually—were not covered by the rent, shifting the burden to taxpayers despite projected stadium deficits exceeding £10 million yearly.[122] Critics, including local councils and audit bodies, argued the deal undervalued the asset and prioritized football tenancy over broader economic viability, with a 2015 BBC investigation revealing undisclosed liabilities that amplified public losses.[60] Legal challenges emerged early, with Tottenham Hotspur and Leyton Orient launching a judicial review in 2011 against the Olympic Park Legacy Company's decision to select West Ham's bid, alleging procedural flaws and conflicts of interest in the selection process favoring the club's multi-use stadium proposal over rivals' athletics-free plans.[123] The High Court dismissed the claims in June 2011, ruling the process lawful, though the case highlighted tensions over legacy commitments and potential anti-competitive elements in mandating retained athletics facilities, which inflated conversion costs borne by public funds.[123] Post-2016 occupancy, disputes escalated between West Ham and stadium operator E20 Stadium LLP (a LLDC subsidiary) over contract interpretations, including a 2017 disagreement on funding for 3,000 additional seats, where E20 sought contributions beyond the base rent, leading to arbitration.[66] Further litigation in 2019 tested litigation privilege in communications related to these tenancy terms, narrowing the scope of protected disclosures in ongoing landlord-tenant conflicts.[124] In 2022, LLDC settled with law firm Allen & Overy for a reported seven-figure sum over advice on the original deal, amid claims of inadequate risk disclosure to taxpayers.[125][126] Recent cases centered on profit-sharing clauses triggered by ownership changes, notably Czech investor Daniel Kretinsky's 27% stake acquisition in 2021; E20 claimed over £6 million from West Ham under a concession deed, but the High Court in February 2025 set aside an expert determination for "manifest errors," ordering a £3.6 million repayment to West Ham's parent company, WH Holding Ltd., citing misinterpretation of the 2013 agreement's triggers for payments on club value uplifts.[64][127] This ruling, in WH Holding Ltd v E20 Stadium LLP [2025] EWHC 140 (Comm), underscored ambiguities in the tenancy's financial safeguards, potentially exposing LLDC to further losses while reinforcing perceptions of the deal's structural imbalances favoring the tenant.[128] Overall, these disputes have compounded scrutiny, with cumulative taxpayer subsidies since 2016 exceeding £100 million, as rent fails to offset non-matchday shortfalls or legal fees.[60]

Public Funding and Economic Impact Assessments

The construction of the London Stadium as part of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games was financed through public funds, with the stadium's initial build costing approximately £486 million, drawn from the overall £9.298 billion public sector budget for the Games as reported by the National Audit Office.[129] Post-Games conversion to accommodate West Ham United's tenancy, originally budgeted at £154 million, escalated to £701 million by 2015 due to design changes, seating conversions, and infrastructure upgrades, with the majority borne by public entities including Newham Council (£40 million loan), central government (£25 million), and the Games legacy funding package (£38.7 million).[104][130] West Ham contributed £15 million toward these works, while UK Athletics provided £1 million for retained athletics facilities.[104] Ongoing operational funding has relied heavily on taxpayer subsidies, as stadium revenues from West Ham's rent—set at a nominal £1.25 million annually—fall short of running costs estimated at £20-25 million per year.[102] In the financial year ending May 31, 2024, E20 Stadium LLP (the public-owned operator) recorded a £20.9 million loss, effectively subsidized by London taxpayers at roughly £500,000 per West Ham home match or £4 million annually in direct upkeep contributions.[107][110] An independent review commissioned by Mayor Sadiq Khan in 2017 identified a "catalogue of errors" in the tenancy deal, including underestimated conversion expenses and optimistic revenue projections, leading to the Greater London Authority assuming direct control to mitigate further public losses exceeding £24 million forecasted for 2017-18.[131] Economic impact assessments of the stadium's legacy have yielded mixed findings, with broader Olympic regeneration efforts credited for some property value increases and job creation in Stratford, yet stadium-specific benefits appearing limited relative to costs. A 2024 study on urban regeneration found uneven economic uplift, with property markets in adjacent areas showing modest gains but persistent underutilization of the venue outside football events, correlating to spatial planning changes rather than direct stadium-driven growth.[132] Legacy analyses, such as the 2012 report on Games impacts, noted short-term tourism boosts but divided public opinion on long-term value, with the stadium's annual £10 million effective subsidy underscoring opportunity costs for alternative public investments.[133][102] Critics, including local assembly reports, argue that taxpayer burdens have disproportionately benefited West Ham's commercial interests without commensurate regional economic returns, as evidenced by sustained operational deficits despite event hosting.[110]
Funding ComponentPublic Contribution (£ million)Source
Initial Construction (2012 Olympics)486National Audit Office overall Games budget allocation[129]
Conversion to Multi-Use (2013-2016)~665 (total less private shares)Escalation from £154m baseline; Newham £40m, Government £25m, Legacy Package £38.7m[104]
Annual Operational Subsidy (Recent)10-20Covers deficits; e.g., £20.9m loss in 2023-24[107][102]

Infrastructure and Access

Transportation Networks

The London Stadium, located within the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, east London, is accessible via multiple integrated public transport modes, with Stratford station serving as the primary hub approximately 15-20 minutes' walk away via signposted pedestrian routes.[134][135] This station handles up to 58 trains per hour during peak times, connecting to central London and beyond.[134] Stratford station is served by the London Underground's Central and Jubilee lines, providing direct access from zones 1-3, including quick journeys from stations like Bond Street (Jubilee Line, around 15 minutes) or Liverpool Street (Central Line, under 10 minutes).[135][136] The Elizabeth Line offers high-frequency services from Heathrow Airport (about 45 minutes) and Paddington (around 20 minutes), enhancing cross-city and airport connectivity since its 2022 opening.[137] London Overground and Docklands Light Railway (DLR) lines link to areas like Highbury & Islington or Canary Wharf, while National Rail services via Greater Anglia and c2c provide intercity options from Essex and Kent.[135][138] Stratford International station, a 20-minute walk or short shuttle away, supports Southeastern high-speed services to Kent.[135] Bus routes operated by Transport for London, including the 25, 86, 158, 388, and 425, stop near the stadium or within the Olympic Park, offering step-free access and connections from central London or nearby districts like Hackney Wick.[139] Event-day shuttle buses from Stratford and Stratford International stations assist with crowd management, particularly for those with accessibility needs.[135] Road access is limited due to the urban park setting, with no dedicated stadium parking; visitors are encouraged to use public transport to avoid congestion, though taxi ranks and cycle hire points (via Santander Cycles) are available, supported by dedicated paths in the park.[140]

Accessibility and Local Integration

The London Stadium provides extensive facilities for visitors with disabilities, including accessible seating on all levels with dedicated wheelchair positions and companion spaces, as well as ambulant seating requiring minimal steps.[141] All turnstile blocks feature dedicated disabled access doors, with level, step-free main concourses and accessible lifts distributed across levels to facilitate movement.[142] The venue includes gender-neutral accessible toilets equipped with RADAR locks, and dedicated accessible entrances marked with universal symbols, supported by assistance from trained staff.[143] Wheelchair users and those with ambulant disabilities can purchase tickets online via Ticketmaster, with provisions for personal assistants, though wheelchairs are prohibited in standing areas for safety reasons.[144] [145] Despite these features, some user reviews highlight challenges in external access, such as reliance on public transport or shuttle buses that accommodate only standard-sized mobility aids, potentially limiting options for those with non-standard equipment.[146] [147] The stadium's design emphasizes internal accessibility, aligning with post-Olympic conversions aimed at broad usability, but practical implementation can vary by event crowding.[148] In terms of local integration, the stadium operates within the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, with commitments to position it as a community hub contributing to regeneration through employment, education, and sports opportunities via partnerships like those with Newham Council.[149] [42] Initiatives include community-driven programs with media partners for local sports access and extensions benefiting nearby residents, such as free event perks for housing scheme participants.[150] [151] The surrounding park's development has enhanced physical and social connectivity, including improved green spaces and cultural facilities intended to uplift deprived East London areas.[11] However, integration efforts have faced criticism for uneven economic benefits, with rising private housing costs and minimum income thresholds for "affordable" rentals in adjacent East Village exacerbating gentrification and displacing lower-income locals rather than fulfilling legacy promises for ethnic minority and deprived communities.[152] [153] [154] Assessments indicate weaker economic legacies compared to social gains, with representations of broad quality-of-life improvements often questioned for prioritizing incoming wealthier residents over original Stratford populations.[11] [155] This reflects broader Olympic regeneration patterns where infrastructure investments spurred property-led development but yielded limited direct gains for pre-existing local economies.[156]

References

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