Studying at the Home of Football: Wembley’s Most Iconic Moments

“Hello Wembley!” you hear as you’re in a lecture, trying to stay focused.

But you can’t.

You look over your shoulder at the sea of red seats and see the culprits— a group of schoolchildren admiring the pristine pitch for the first time.

Then it hits you for the hundredth time: you’re studying in Wembley Stadium.

Wembley as we know it

Opened in 2007, Wembley Stadium is globally known as the home of football. It is also the original home of GIS, and for our students this means they can attend lectures and networking events at this London landmark.

But what makes it so special?

Naturally, the title of ‘home of football’ comes with an abundance of iconic moments in the beautiful game, as well as many more.

Efforts are often made to differentiate between the Empire Stadium (the ‘Old Wembley’), and the Wembley Stadium we know today, signposted by the arch that can be seen from miles away.

During the stadium’s reconstruction in 2003, the rubble from the original stadium’s famous Twin Towers was recycled and incorporated into the new structure, which still stands on the same site.

Iconic Moments Since 2007

2011 saw Lionel Messi lead Barcelona to a 3-1 win over Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League Final, while one year later the gold medal matches of the London Olympics gave North American fans a reason to celebrate under the arch as Mexico and the USA won the men’s and women’s finals respectively.

Records were broken in 2017, when 98,000 fans streamed into the London Borough of Brent to see Adele complete her world tour – making it the highest-attended UK music event of all time.

In 2021, the iconic venue hosted heartbreak. Luke Shaw’s 2nd minute strike put England in the lead in the men’s UEFA Euro final, but they eventually lost on penalties in front of a home crowd.

Just a year later, the Lionesses brought football home, beating Germany 2-1 in the women’s Euro final to lift the trophy in front of a sell-out crowd.

And that’s all in the last 15 years.

The Old Wembley: Live Aid and The White Horse Final

It’s safe to say that the iconic moments of recent times are a mere tip of the iceberg compared to Wembley Stadium’s rich past, which began in 1923.

If you’ve been to the area, you may have walked across White Horse Bridge or visited the White Horse pub and wondered where the name came from.

The 1923 FA Cup Final is where.

The first FA Cup Final held at the new national stadium saw over 200,000 fans pack into Wembley Stadium to watch Bolton Wanderers play West Ham United in a match staged a year ahead of schedule.

Well over the official attendance of 126,000, fans poured onto the pitch as players and police pleaded for space so that the game could go ahead. Included in the crowd was the brother of Bolton striker Jack Smith, who tapped the Scottish player on the shoulder after not seeing him for six years.

Highlighting the day was policeman George Scorey, mounted on a white horse called Billie, who became the defining image of the final.

Arguably the stadium’s most iconic moment came decades later in 1966, where we all know what happened.

The first and only time England has either hosted or won the FIFA World Cup, captain Bobby Moore lifted the Jules Rimet Trophy. A nail-biting end to the game saw a 90th minute equaliser by West Germany before Geoff Hurst scored twice in extra time to complete the only World Cup Final hat-trick until Kylian Mbappe’s in 2022.

But the final iconic moment, and rival for biggest Wembley moment of all time, was led not by a footballer but by a musician.

Raising over £30 million as part of a simultaneous concert alongside Philadelphia’s JFK Stadium, 1985’s Live Aid hosted some of the biggest names in music, including David Bowie, Elton John and Paul McCartney. 

But it’s Freddie Mercury and Queen who stole the spotlight before the rendition of ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’ by Band Aid to close out the show.

More Than a Stadium

From Evel Knievel stunning the crowds in 1975 to the British Bulldog beating Bret Hart at 1992 Summerslam, the list goes on.

Whether it’s the old Empire Stadium or the Wembley we know today, the venue has been the stage for some unforgettable moments. For GIS students, it doubles as a lecture theatre.

If you’re ready to study one of our range of sports-related courses at the home of football, click here.

Article by Zakaria Anani