The sporting life in London

September 29

Not just brimming with sights, shops, pubs, parks, galleries, museums, theatres, restaurants and copious other sources of entertainment, Britain’s “Big Smoke” is also an absolute treat for sports fans. Whether you fancy soaking up some sporting heritage or catching some live thrills — or perhaps a bit of both — these five spots are extra-special.

WEMBLEY

Soccer grounds, large and small, new and creaking, pepper London, but in terms of size, stature and star quality, none can top Wembley. It first opened in 1923, as the Empire Stadium, just in time to host the final of the FA Cup, the world’s oldest national soccer competition (Arsenal hold the record for the most cup final victories and will be among the favourites to be back at Wembley for the 2025 final on Saturday, May 17). Rebuilt in 2007, now seating up to 90,000 spectators, and hosting several England internationals each year, Wembley is wrapped in folklore. Book one of the guided group tours that take you into the stands, media and changing rooms, down the players’ tunnel and pitch-side. You’ll hear stories about some of the magic moments witnessed in this pocket of north-west London, including England’s 1966 World Cup soccer win, the 1948 Olympics (when a pregnant Fanny Blankers-Koen won four gold medals here) and iconic concerts, such as Live Aid 1985, when Freddie Mercury led a sell-out crowd on a mass singalong of “Ah-Oy!”. For Wembley tickets and tours, see wembleystadium.com

LORD’S

While The Oval in south London is a fine place to see wickets falling and runs being scored — it traditionally stages England’s last Test match of the northern summer plus several other non-internationals — it’s on the north side of the River Thames that you’ll find “The Home of Cricket”. Lord’s typically stages two England men’s Test matches annually, as well as multi-format games for county side Middlesex and London Spirit, in The Hundred competition. If you’re here on a non-match day, take one of the guided tours that will show you around Lord’s and let you walk through the pavilion’s storied Long Room. You’ll hear how the ground has evolved over the last 200 years, plus a stack of cricketing yarns, including nuggets about players that have stoked the England-Australia Ashes rivalry, which will resume Down Under next year before returning to the UK in 2027 (for those wishing to plan an Ashes away tour, Lord’s, The Oval, Nottingham’s Trent Bridge, Birmingham’s Edgbaston and Southampton’s Ageas Bowl will all stage men’s Test matches). Also not to be missed at Lord’s is the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) Museum, which showcases an array of cricketing equipment, art and memorabilia, not least the diminutive Ashes urn. lords.org

WIMBLEDON

There are few more alluring and quintessentially British summer experiences than watching the tennis with strawberries and cream — and maybe a glass or two of Pimm’s. Also widely known as SW19 after its south-west London postcode, the Wimbledon Championships began in the 1870s and quickly emerged as the pinnacle of lawn tennis. Action takes place across 18 grass courts and to be in with a chance of tickets, apply via the public ballot that opens each September/October for the following year’s competition (in 2025, the championships will run from June 30 to July 13). Throughout the year, it’s possible to explore the Wimbledon grounds on behind-the-scenes tours which will have you recalling the great Centre Court victories of stars like Roger Federer, Martina Navratilova and Serena Williams (not to mention Australians Rod Laver, Pat Cash and Ash Barty). There’s also a museum here containing over a million items, ranging from vintage tennis rackets and fashions to decorative arts and photography. The museum has temporary exhibitions too and during the championships, entry is free to all ticket holders. wimbledon.com

Inside the new Wembley Stadium. Credit: Steve McKenna/The West Australian

TWICKENHAM

Another sporting jewel that’s worth the diversion to west London, Twickenham is the world’s largest dedicated rugby union stadium. This 82,000-capacity venue has staged many thunderous battles between England and the Wallabies over the decades, with the next one scheduled for this coming November during the Autumn Nations (which will also feature New Zealand, South Africa and other southern and northern hemisphere sides). Twickenham is most synonymous with its annual Six Nations clashes, involving England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales, with men’s and women’s matches kicking off on weekends between early February and late April. Relive Twickenham’s highs and lows on stadium tours, which end at the World Rugby Museum, where topical temporary exhibitions complement the sport’s most extensive collection of memorabilia. You can also put your knowledge and rugby skills to the test at an interactive zone. twickenhamstadium.com

YORK HALL

There are grander venues staging bigger and more hyped bouts (think: Wembley Stadium, Wembley Arena and the O2), but none have the aura of the York Hall in Bethnal Green. An unassuming leisure centre in a gritty-hip area of east London, it’s the unofficial but widely recognised “Home of British boxing”, where blood, sweat and tears have been a staple of its regular Saturday fight nights since the 1950s. Pugilists spanning the weight divisions have laced up their gloves here, including Joe Bugner, Nigel Benn, Joe Calzaghe and Lennox Lewis, a local lad who became the undisputed world heavyweight champion in 1999. York Hall’s intimate nature — capacity is just 1200 — helps create a lively atmosphere, especially when the punches start flying during British and Commonwealth title bouts. The venue opened in 1929, initially as a public bathhouse, and still doubles as a multipurpose leisure centre with a gym, pool and a spa with Turkish baths. For fight tickets, see ticketmaster.co.uk