Emirates Stadium

The Emirates Stadium replaced Arsenal's previous home Highbury, which had become too small and lacked the possiblities for enlargement being hemmed in by housing.

First plans for the Building work on a new arena were made in the late 1990s, but also a move to the new Wembley Stadium was considered.

In the end a site was chosen just a few hundred yards away from Highbury, and, after a few delays, Building work on the ground started in 2004. The total project budget amounted to £390 million.

The Emirates Stadium was formally inaugurated on the 23rd of July 2006. The first match was a testimonial match for Dennis Bergkamp featuring an Arsenal and Ajax side.

Due to the competition of nearby Wembley Stadium, the Emirates Stadium has never was the venue for the English national side, although the Brazilian national side has regularly staged friendlies at the ground.

The Emirates Stadium is situated in the Islington area, toward the north of London at just over 2 miles from Kings Cross St Pancras railway station.

There are multiple ways to reach the ground by public transit. The underground (tube) is one option – the nearest Underground station is Arsenal, which is on the Piccadilly line. Decent alternatives are stations Finsbury Park (Victoria and Piccadilly line) and Highbury & Islington (Victoria line and London overground). From both stations it is an approximate 10-minute walk to the ground.

On non-matchdays, Holloway Road station (Piccadilly line) is situated closest, but will be closed pre-match and is exit-only after the match.

Alternatively, one can catch a train to Finsbury Park or Highbury & Islington main line stations. It is a 5 to 10-minute journey coming from Kings Cross station. Throughout the week trains depart from Moorgate as well. Drayton Park rail station, closest to the ground, closes on match days.

Supporters are not advised to arrive by car on match days, and there is little parking available around the Emirates Stadium on non-matchdays.

Address: Emirates Stadium, London N5 1BU

The Emirates Stadium is situated in the recently regenerated and rather quiet Highbury area. Several pubs and cafés in the immediate surroundings of the ground, which is mainly residential, and some options to dine and drink along Holloway Road and Highbury Park road.

More nightlife can be found in the Islington area on Upper Street starting south of Highbury & Islington Underground station – an approximate 15 to 20-minute walk from the ground.

There are no hotels right close to the Emirates Stadium, but a fair few options further north on Seven Sisters Road near Finsbury Park, which is a 15-minute walk from the ground. The Queens Hotel and Best Western Highbury get the best reviews and go for about £100 a night, whereas the Pembury Hotel, Woodberry Down Hotel, and Central Park Hotel are more basic options.

Use the linked guides To browse hotels close to the Emirates Stadium. Of course, as there are various tube lines passing by the ground, you can just as well choose a stadium in any part of Central London.

Admission for Arsenal matches are sold online, or by phone 0844 277 3625 (+44 207 649 9003 if calling from abroad).

Arsenal is one of the clubs in the Premier League for which it is hardest to get tickets and one will frequently need an Arsenal membership to be able to acquire tickets. The most basic Red level membership at present is priced at £33.00 and with it tickets will generally be available in pre-sale.

Arsenal matches fall into three pricing categories. Admission for category C matches, the cheapest, start at £26.00 for most lower-tier seats and range up to £51.00 for a central upper-tier seat. Admission for category A matches, the most expensive, range from £63.50 for most lower-tier seats to £126.00 for a central upper-tier seat.

A further booking fee of about £2.00 applies. Admission for members are a little bit cheaper.

Arsenal offer the option to see the Emirates Stadium through a self-guided stadium tour. You can walk through the ground at your own pace with the company of an audio guide. The route covers the changing rooms and players' tunnel.

Alternatively, the club offers guided venue tours by an Arsenal legend. Both tours include access to the Arsenal museum.

The ground is opened 7 days a week for self-guided venue tours. Entry is from 10:00 am with the last entry at 5:00 pm. There are no tours on match days and the ground may close earlier on the day before a match or event. It takes anything from 55 to 90 minutes to complete the walk around the ground.

The legends tour starts every day at 1:00 pm and lasts 75 minutes.

The self-guided tour is priced at £17.50 and the legends tour £35.00. Tours can be booked online, by phone +44 (0) 20 7619 5000, or at arrival at the ground (self-guided tours).