Emirates Stadium: The Ultimate Arsenal FC Stadium Guide
There are football grounds, and then there is the Emirates.
Home to Arsenal Football Club since 2006, the Emirates Stadium is one of the great modern arenas of European football - a three-tiered bowl designed by Populous, holding around 60,000 supporters in one of the most atmospheric continuous seating layouts ever built in England.
Whether you are planning your first Arsenal match, returning after years away or building a full football weekend in London, this guide covers everything you need to know - from the Highbury legacy and the different stands to travel, matchday practicalities, the statues and the museum, and the ways to experience Arsenal with SEESPORTS. For supporters who want to explore more of the capital's football, our Anfield guide and the other SEESPORTS stadium guides are worth a look too.
And when you are ready to experience it for yourself, SEESPORTS offers Arsenal ticket and hotel packages built around Club Level - official match tickets, hotel accommodation, guaranteed seats together and Kick-off Cover included as standard, with specialist sports travel support throughout.
01 · The Essentials
Emirates Stadium at a Glance
Club
Arsenal Football Club
Stadium
Emirates Stadium
Opened
22 July 2006
Address
Hornsey Road, London, N7 7AJ
Capacity
Around 60,000
Architects
Populous, with structural engineering by Buro Happold
Previous Home
Highbury (1913 to 2006)
Traditional Home End
The Clock End (south)
Nearest Tube Station
Arsenal (Piccadilly Line), three minutes on foot
The Emirates Stadium is one of the largest club stadiums in London and one of the biggest single investments in English club football history. But the size of the stadium only tells part of the story.
What makes the Emirates special is the way it carries Highbury into the modern era. The clock. The statues of Chapman, Adams, Henry and Bergkamp. The marble halls of the old ground remembered in a stadium built for the biggest occasions in European football. That is why a visit to the Emirates feels different from an ordinary football match.
02 · The Nickname
Why Did Arsenal Leave Highbury?
Arsenal played at Highbury in Islington from 1913 until May 2006 - one of the most beloved and distinctive grounds in English football, with its famous Art Deco East Stand and a capacity limited to 38,419 by the residential streets that wrapped around it. The club simply could not grow there.
The solution was a move a short distance south to Ashburton Grove, a brownfield site a few hundred metres from the old ground. The Emirates Stadium, designed by Populous with structural engineering by Buro Happold, opened on 22 July 2006 with a testimonial match for Dennis Bergkamp against Ajax. The capacity of around 60,000 transformed Arsenal's matchday scale while keeping the club at the heart of its Islington neighbourhood.
03 · The History
A Brief History of Emirates Stadium
Arsenal Football Club relocated from Woolwich to Highbury in Islington in 1913, beginning the north London era that produced Herbert Chapman's great sides of the 1930s, the 1971 and 1998 doubles, the Invincibles of 2003-04 and the move to the new stadium in 2006.
Construction of the Emirates began in 2004 on the Ashburton Grove brownfield site, and the stadium opened on 22 July 2006. The design broke with the traditional four-stand British layout in favour of a three-tiered continuous bowl, with a translucent polycarbonate roof supported by two huge steel trusses spanning the east-west axis. The record attendance of 60,383 was set in 2019 for a home fixture against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
From Highbury to the Clock End
The famous Highbury clock, which stood above the stadium's Clock End for 70 years, was moved to the Emirates and mounted on the roof structure above the southern stand - which is why the home end at the new stadium is called the Clock End. It is the most visible piece of Highbury carried into the new home.
The Statue Circuit
Around the stadium podium stand bronze statues of the figures who defined Arsenal: Herbert Chapman, the manager who made the club great in the 1930s; Tony Adams, the ultimate one-club captain; Thierry Henry, the club's greatest goalscorer; and Dennis Bergkamp, in whose honour the stadium opened with a testimonial in 2006. Walking the statue circuit is the traditional first act of any first visit.
04 · The Stands
The Emirates Stadium Stands Explained
Understanding the different tiers can make a real difference when planning a first visit. The Emirates is a continuous three-tiered bowl rather than four separate stands, so the experience is defined by which tier you sit in and which side of the ground.
1Lower Tier
Around 24,400 seatsThe lower tier wraps continuously around the pitch and puts you closest to the action - the quickest way to feel the speed and physicality of a Premier League match. Away supporters are seated in the lower-tier corner between the South and East stands on allocated fixtures.
For supporters who want to feel part of the crowd rather than survey it, the lower tier is the natural home - and it is where the noisiest, most traditional matchday atmosphere lives.
The View
Close, steep and immediate - the best tier for feeling part of the occasion.
2Club Level
Around 7,000 seatsClub Level is the Emirates' premium tier, positioned in the middle band of the bowl directly above the lower tier. It includes bar access, exclusive dining and premium concourses - the tier that set the blueprint for matchday hospitality revenue in European football.
This is where SEESPORTS builds the Arsenal Club Level match break - seats, dining and the whole occasion handled in one premium package.
The View
The middle tier is widely regarded as the sweet spot of the bowl - close enough to feel the crowd, elevated enough to see the full shape of the match.
3Executive Box Level
Around 1,500 seats across 150 boxesDirectly above Club Level sits the executive box tier - 150 private boxes positioned around the bowl, used for corporate hospitality and private occasions. It is the most exclusive way to watch Arsenal, and it created the premium template that stadiums such as Everton's new ground have since followed.
The View
A private balcony view of the pitch with the full sweep of the bowl visible across the stadium.
4Upper Tier
Around 27,000 seatsThe upper tier is the biggest single part of the stadium - a sweeping deck beneath the roof overhang that fills the bowl on big matchdays. From up here you appreciate the true scale of the ground and the movement of the whole match.
Upper-tier seats offer excellent value for supporters who want the full-stadium experience - and on a big European night, the noise from the upper decks is something special.
The View
A broad, panoramic view of the entire pitch and the full bowl - the best tier for taking in the scale of the stadium.
Where Do Away Fans Sit at the Emirates Stadium?
Away supporters are generally located in the lower-tier corner between the South and East stands. The exact allocation can vary depending on the competition and the fixture, and visiting supporters use designated entrances and segregated concourse areas.
If you are attending as an Arsenal home supporter, it is important not to wear opposing team colours in home areas. Always follow the instructions supplied with your individual booking.
What is the Atmosphere Like at the Emirates Stadium?
The atmosphere at the Emirates varies with the occasion. North London derbies, big European nights and title-race fixtures fill the bowl and produce one of the best matchday atmospheres in England - while quieter mid-table fixtures can feel more relaxed.
The continuous bowl design means noise rolls around the stadium rather than staying in one end, and the lower tier keeps the most vocal support close to the pitch. Whatever the fixture, the pre-match build-up around Hornsey Road and the Arsenal pub circuit is a proper north London matchday.
What Time Should I Arrive at the Emirates Stadium?
For a first visit, allow more time than you think you need. The matchday station restrictions in the area (see Getting There) make the journey slower on big fixtures, and security screening creates queues as the stadium fills.
Arriving around 90 minutes to two hours before kick-off gives you time to walk the statue circuit, visit the Armoury, find your correct entrance, pass through security and enjoy the build-up. Hospitality experiences can have different arrival arrangements, so always follow the itinerary provided for your individual SEESPORTS package.
05 · Getting There
Getting to Emirates Stadium
The Emirates Stadium sits in a residential area of Islington in North London and relies heavily on the London Underground and Overground networks. Matchday station restrictions make planning your route in advance genuinely important - this is one ground where the Tube map matters.
Arsenal Station (Piccadilly Line)
Arsenal station is the closest Underground station to the ground - around a three minute walk from the northern end. On matchdays it becomes extremely busy, so allow time for the queues in both directions.
Finsbury Park Station
Finsbury Park, a 10 minute walk to the north, is served by the Victoria Line, the Piccadilly Line and Great Northern rail services. Walking from Finsbury Park is a well-established tactic for bypassing the worst of the post-match queues at Arsenal station.
Highbury & Islington Station
Highbury & Islington, around 15 minutes south along Holloway Road, is served by the Victoria Line, the London Overground and Great Northern rail. It is the natural interchange for supporters travelling via King's Cross St Pancras.
Matchday Station Restrictions
The local stations operate special matchday rules: Holloway Road operates exit-only before the match and entry-only after the final whistle, and Drayton Park is closed on matchdays for safety reasons. Check the latest TfL and club guidance before travelling.
Can You Drive to the Emirates Stadium?
The stadium sits in a residential Islington neighbourhood with very limited matchday parking and event-day street restrictions. The Underground is by far the simplest option for most supporters. One of the advantages of booking a full football break is that your hotel becomes your base for the weekend - choose somewhere near a Piccadilly or Victoria line station and the journey to the ground becomes straightforward.
Travelling from Northern Ireland or Ireland
SEESPORTS is based in Northern Ireland and builds match breaks for supporters travelling from across Northern Ireland and Ireland. Our [[ferry travel information|/ferry-travel]] covers the routes that work well for London football weekends, and a ticket and hotel package keeps the whole trip - travel, accommodation and the match - in one booking.
06 · Matchday Rules
Emirates Stadium Bag Policy and Stadium Rules
Bag Policy
The Emirates Stadium operates security screening on matchdays, and large bags are generally not permitted. The simplest advice is: travel light. Leave luggage at your hotel and take only what you genuinely need for the match.
Stadium policies can change from season to season, so always check Arsenal's latest official guidance shortly before travelling. All bags may be subject to search on entry.
What Can You Take Into the Emirates Stadium?
Small personal items are generally acceptable, but larger bags, glass containers, cans, alcohol, flares, fireworks, air horns and potentially dangerous items are prohibited. There can also be specific rules regarding banners, flags and camera equipment.
Security guidance can change, so always check the latest stadium information before matchday and follow the instructions supplied with your booking.
07 · Tickets & Packages
Choose Your Arsenal Experience with SEESPORTS
Arsenal home matches - particularly north London derbies, big Premier League fixtures and European nights - can be extremely popular. For travelling supporters, that means the ticket should be viewed as one part of the overall trip rather than something to organise separately at the last minute. SEESPORTS specialises in complete football travel experiences, with official match tickets, hotel accommodation, guaranteed seats together and Kick-off Cover included as standard in every package.
Arsenal Club Level is the premium tier at the Emirates - the band of seating directly above the lower tier with bar access, exclusive dining and premium concourses. It is the tier that defined modern matchday hospitality, and it remains one of the best ways to watch football in England. A SEESPORTS Club Level match break combines your seats, the hospitality and your hotel into one booking, so the whole weekend is built around the occasion.
Best suited to: Premium matchdays, special occasions, corporate guests and supporters who want the best seats in the bowl.
View Arsenal Club Level PackagesWhich Arsenal Package Should I Choose?
What is Included as Standard?
Every SEESPORTS football package is built around the complete trip. Official match tickets, hotel accommodation, guaranteed seats together and Kick-off Cover all come as standard, brought together with the reassurance of booking through a specialist sports tour operator.
A football weekend can involve more than simply getting through the turnstile. There is accommodation, fixture scheduling, travel planning, stadium entry and support before departure. That is why SEESPORTS focuses on complete sports travel experiences.
Are Arsenal Tickets Digital?
Arsenal use digital ticketing at the Emirates Stadium. Supporters normally access their ticket through a compatible smartphone and present the device at the stadium entrance.
The practical advice is simple: make sure your ticket is available before leaving your hotel, ensure your phone is charged, avoid leaving ticket setup until you are standing outside the stadium and follow the instructions supplied with your booking. A portable power bank can be very useful on a football weekend in London.
08 · Outside the Ground
What is There to See Outside Emirates Stadium?
One of the biggest mistakes first-time visitors make is walking directly from the Tube station to the turnstile. The Emirates has one of the best statue circuits in football outside its gates, and it is worth allowing time to enjoy it.
The Highbury Clock and the Clock End
The historic Highbury clock stood above the old ground's Clock End for 70 years before being moved to the Emirates, where it now sits on the roof structure above the southern stand - giving the stadium's home end its name. It is the most important piece of Arsenal heritage at the new ground and the first thing many supporters look for.
The Statues of Chapman, Adams, Henry and Bergkamp
The stadium podium carries bronze statues of the figures who defined the club: Herbert Chapman, the manager who made Arsenal great; Tony Adams, the one-club captain; Thierry Henry, the greatest goalscorer in the club's history; and Dennis Bergkamp, whose testimonial opened the stadium in 2006. Walking the full circuit is the traditional start of a first visit.
The Armoury, the Museum and the Stadium Tour
The Armoury is the club's flagship store at the southern end of the stadium, with additional club shops at Highbury House on Drayton Park and at Finsbury Park station. The Arsenal Museum nearby displays treasures including Jens Lehmann's gloves from the Invincibles season of 2003-04, the boots Michael Thomas wore at Anfield in 1989 and Charlie George's 1971 FA Cup final shirt.
Stadium tours allow supporters to explore the dressing rooms, the tunnel, the dugouts and pitchside. Tours do not usually operate in the normal format on Arsenal home matchdays, which makes a two-night trip work particularly well - the match one day and the museum and tour on another. The Michael Thomas boots are also a nice reminder for supporters planning a double-header - our Anfield guide covers the other end of that famous 1989 night.
09 · The Local Area
Accessibility, Food and Drink and the Local Area
Accessibility at the Emirates Stadium
The Emirates provides a range of accessibility facilities, including accessible seating across the tiers, accessible turnstile gates, lifts and dedicated services for supporters requiring additional assistance.
If you are booking a SEESPORTS package and have accessibility requirements, it is important to let the team know as early as possible. The earlier those requirements are understood, the easier it is to make sure the booking is suitable.
Food and Drink at the Emirates Stadium
The stadium contains around 250 food and beverage serving stations across its concourses, with traditional matchday fare and premium dining available in the Club Level and box-tier lounges.
The pubs and restaurants along Holloway Road and around Highbury are a big part of the matchday. On matchdays the area fills up early, and some home-supporter venues operate entry restrictions - arriving early gives you much more chance to enjoy it.
Islington, Highbury and North London
The Emirates sits in the heart of Islington, one of London's best-connected football neighbourhoods. Highbury Fields, the restaurants of Upper Street and the markets and nightlife of Angel are all within easy reach, while King's Cross St Pancras is barely a mile to the south - making the stadium one of the easiest London grounds to reach by rail.
For supporters staying more than one night, north London offers plenty to do beyond the football, and the Piccadilly line connects the stadium with the West End in around 20 minutes.
10 · Where to Stay
Where Should You Stay for a Arsenal Match?
There is no single best place to stay for every visitor. The right location depends on the type of weekend you want - and that is why SEESPORTS looks at accommodation as part of the overall experience rather than simply choosing the nearest hotel on a map.
Staying Around King's Cross and Islington
For most visitors, the area around King's Cross St Pancras and Islington is the best all-round base - close to the stadium, brilliantly connected to the rest of London by Tube and national rail, and full of restaurants, bars and hotels.
Staying in Central London
Supporters who want to make a full weekend of the trip often stay in the West End or the City, reaching the stadium via the Piccadilly line to Arsenal station in around 20 to 30 minutes on matchday.
Staying Near the Stadium
Holloway and Highbury have a growing choice of hotels and guesthouses within walking distance of the ground, which makes matchday logistics straightforward.
11 · Matchday Checklist
First Time at Emirates Stadium? Matchday Checklist
If this is your first Arsenal home match, this simple checklist can make the day much easier.
Before Leaving Your Hotel
- Charge your phone
- Make sure your match ticket is accessible
- Confirm the latest kick-off time
- Check current stadium security guidance
- Leave unnecessary luggage behind
- Plan your Tube route and check matchday station restrictions
- Allow plenty of time
Before Kick-Off
- Arrive early
- Walk the statue circuit - Chapman, Adams, Henry and Bergkamp
- Find the Highbury clock above the Clock End
- Find your entrance before queues build
- Complete security with plenty of time
- Enjoy the atmosphere
After Full-Time
- Expect large crowds at Arsenal station
- Consider walking to Finsbury Park instead
- Remember Holloway Road is entry-only after the match
- Avoid booking an unrealistic onward connection
- Remember that tens of thousands of supporters are leaving at the same time
If you are staying overnight, there is no need to treat the final whistle as a race back to your hotel. Enjoy London.
12 · Fixture Changes
What Happens if a Arsenal Fixture Changes?
This is one of the most important things for travelling football supporters to understand. A fixture appearing on the schedule is not always the final confirmed travel time. Arsenal matches can move because of television selections, domestic cup competitions, European football, policing requirements or other operational reasons. That can create real problems when travel arrangements have been booked independently - especially for supporters travelling from Northern Ireland or Ireland.
SEESPORTS includes Kick-off Cover on applicable football packages, designed to provide additional protection around qualifying fixture changes. Always check the specific terms relating to your booking.
13 · Booking with SEESPORTS
Why Book Arsenal with SEESPORTS?
Watching Arsenal at the Emirates should be exciting. Planning the trip should not become the difficult part. SEESPORTS helps supporters bring the important elements together. Every package includes official match tickets, hotel accommodation, guaranteed seats together and Kick-off Cover as standard, with additional benefits depending on the package selected.
SEESPORTS specialises in Arsenal Club Level match breaks - the premium tier at the Emirates with dining and lounge access included - so a London football weekend is planned around the occasion, not just the ticket.
14 · The Verdict
Is Emirates Stadium Worth Visiting?
For a football supporter, yes. Even if Arsenal is not your club, the Emirates is one of the defining modern stadiums of English football - the bowl, the Highbury clock, the statues and the scale of a full house in north London.
For Arsenal supporters, however, the visit usually means much more. The walk from the Tube. The statue circuit. The first sight of that green pitch framed by 60,000 seats. The roar when Arsenal score. Those are the moments you remember.
Reading about the Emirates is one thing. Walking through the turnstile is another. SEESPORTS makes Arsenal football travel easier by bringing the key elements of your trip together. Your passion; our goal.
Ready to Experience the Emirates?
Official match tickets. Hotel accommodation. Guaranteed seats together. Kick-off Cover.
Don't just SEE IT. EXPERIENCE IT LIVE.
Explore Arsenal Match Breaks15 · FAQs
Emirates Stadium Frequently Asked Questions
Information is correct at the time of publishing. We endeavour to maintain up-to-date information, but information can change and vary.
16 · More Stadium Guides