Ranking Wembley Stadium

[Abbeyfealeavfc]

I've been to the Principality Stadium (Cardiff), The Aviva Stadium (Dublin) and to Hampden Park in Scotland. I would rank all of these above Wembley for facilities, views and a competent workforce. Granted the experiences of myself, family and friends on Sunday weren't great (particularly with the staff around the club wembley/bobby moore) part of the ground, but I would be interested to know other views.
I've never been to Twickenham or Murrayfield. I've been to Croke Park, but only an empty one (other than conference attendees) and I wondered how Wembley Stadium would match up to these venues?
Imo Wembley (as a national stadium) ranks even lower than a lot of club stadiums around the country.

[cdbearsfan]

I don't like Hampden because Clyde have a shit record against QP. It's okay, if a bit bland. I don't really see the point in rebuilding it. Just let QP play at Little Hampden and rotate Scotland games between Celtic, Rangers and Murrayfield. It was good when it could potentially hold 150,000 but pointless when it is only the third biggest ground in the city.

Wembley is okay, better than it was. Again I'm not sure why they downgraded in terms of capacity. Should be at least 100,000. Though I suppose it would be even more of a pain in the arse to get out after the game.

[Pete3206]

It's a functional stadium, but that's it and there's nothing remotely special about it from the outside.

Pitch wise, the views are great, but the apathy of the middle tier robs the place of a great atmosphere. I couldn't believe it when the 2nd half started, the ground looked half empty.

[stubbsyandy]

Interesting experience on Sunday, can’t complain about the view, we found the staff invariably polite and helpful so well done for that. However, here we are with the corona virus situation and the gents toilets had three basins with cold water, no soap and one hand drier...pathetic and irresponsible really.
Oh, and Principality wins on all accounts easily...great atmosphere, views, facilities. Now getting the train from Cardiff after is another story!!

[maidstonevillain]

I don't like Hampden because Clyde have a shit record against QP. It's okay, if a bit bland. I don't really see the point in rebuilding it. Just let QP play at Little Hampden and rotate Scotland games between Celtic, Rangers and Murrayfield. It was good when it could potentially hold 150,000 but pointless when it is only the third biggest ground in the city.

Wembley is okay, better than it was. Again I'm not sure why they downgraded in terms of capacity. Should be at least 100,000. Though I suppose it would be even more of a pain in the arse to get out after the game.

I think 90000 is generally regarded as the optimum for capacity, view, and getting people in and out quickly and safely. Also, by the time the old Wembley was all seater, the capacity was about 80000. And it was a dump.

[Scratchins]

The approach to Wembley is awful, goodness knows what foreign visitors think, like driving through a builders yard.  The playing area is impressive but the concourse looks unfinished and the prices eye watering; 2 burgers -no chips etc £15.90, glass of wine £6.80 - and it took 4 outlets before I found wine. Toilets with neither hot water nor hot air from the dryers, no stewards to stop men entering the women's toilets.
San Hamman in the Wimbledon programme whilst the venue was being debated made a plea for the NEC, said he could get there more quickly than to Wembley. 

[UK Redsox]

Wembley is way better than Twickenham but that's because the latter is a particularly bad stadium (until you're in your seat, it's fine then).

The new Spuds stadium is superb.

West Ham's council house is alright but nothing special

For ease of access, Cardiff comes top

[Jon Crofts]

Wembley is way better than Twickenham but that's because the latter is a particularly bad stadium (until you're in your seat, it's fine then).

The new Spuds stadium is superb.

West Ham's council house is alright but nothing special

For ease of access, Cardiff comes top

Agree apart from Cardiff & ease of access, have you tried getting a train after an international?  That said, that's not the fault of the stadium, its GWR and their incompetent staff & ticketing system. If you sell 25,000 return tickets from London and only run trains with a capacity post match for 12,000 passengers then you're in trouble.

[tomd2103]

Not a massive fan of Wembley really, but have to admit there was a bit of an aura about it when the floodlights came on in the second half. 

All-in-all it's not a great overall experience and I do think there are safety issues there.  I went to watch a game there as a guest of a friend (non-Villa related) and there was a seriously violent fight in the section of the stadium where we were which raged on for what seemed like ages while the one or two stewards in the vicinity just looked on. 

[Risso]

Twickenham is a horrible stadium.  A concrete monstrosity that is difficult to get to, impossible to get out of, and with half time service that makes the Villa Park offering look like a Formula 1 pitstop.  The new Spurs stadium looks amazing, the seats and everything are great, but still getting served quickly is beyond them.  Wembley is OK, but it feels a bit soulless, and obviously everything about it is an utter rip off.  It's pretty easy to get to though, and we were back in Central London within about 20 minutes of the final whistle being blown.

[dave.woodhall]

Wembley has its good points - every view I've had there has been fine, they seem to have sharpened up on stewarding in recent years, getting in is usually okay although it can be a bit crowded outside afterwards if you have to go against the flow. Leaving by public transport is a lot better than Villa Park and there's so much choice in the surrounding areas that anyone who relies on the catering inside is a bit daft. The only problem I can see is that leaving by road can be horrendous and this is where the Principality wins out. Wembley brings chaos within a fifty mile radius whereas Cardiff always seems fine once you're a couple of roads away.   

[FatSam]

Wembley is okay, better than it was. Again I'm not sure why they downgraded in terms of capacity. Should be at least 100,000. Though I suppose it would be even more of a pain in the arse to get out after the game.

Football stadia above 90k capacity are pretty much non-existent. I would imagine that it comes down to the quality of view that can be achieved when you go beyond that point. Fundamentally you would have sections of the ground that are just considered to be too far away from the pitch. As it is, all stadia above a certain capacity tend to morph into the same form because they are essentially dictated by the distance from the furthest part of the pitch (so a radius from the opposite corner flag).

[UK Redsox]

Wembley brings chaos within a fifty mile radius whereas Cardiff always seems fine once you're a couple of roads away.   

Yep, I've been in Cardiff when events are going on at the Millennium. If the roof is closed, you'd not realise anything was happening

[UK Redsox]

Wembley is way better than Twickenham but that's because the latter is a particularly bad stadium (until you're in your seat, it's fine then).

The new Spuds stadium is superb.

West Ham's council house is alright but nothing special

For ease of access, Cardiff comes top

Agree apart from Cardiff & ease of access, have you tried getting a train after an international?  That said, that's not the fault of the stadium, its GWR and their incompetent staff & ticketing system. If you sell 25,000 return tickets from London and only run trains with a capacity post match for 12,000 passengers then you're in trouble.

I normally drive to events in Cardiff. If I'm with a group, we use the P&R off the A48(M).

We did the train for one of the Autumn Internationals a couple of years ago. Admittedly, that wouldn't have been as busy as after a 6N game but we had no queues

If I'm on my own, I drive right into the middle and park up.

[UK Redsox]

Of course, all these stadiums are nothing compared to............