Stadium Size Comparisons
Horse racing and football are two of the most popular sports in the United Kingdom, with attendances typically reaching their maximum on a weekly basis.
However, the seasons for both sports revolve around the biggest events on the calendar, with the Cheltenham Festival proving to be the same as football’s FA Cup.
As two of the most followed sports in the country, it is little surprise that the venues that host the action are capable of holding maximum numbers in order to house the most fans possible. But, what are some of the biggest venues across the two sports in terms of capacity?
Wembley Stadium
The national stadium of England boasts the biggest capacity across the two sports, with Wembley able to host 90,000 fans. As well as being used for football, it has also staged sports such as American Football, boxing, and professional wrestling.
The England national team play the majority of their home fixtures at Wembley, with some of the biggest club matches on the schedule also being staged at the stadium. Among those include the FA Cup and EFL Cup final, while it will also host the 2024 Champions League final, and the EUROs final for the second time in ten years in 2028.
Wembley also plays host to all Football League playoff finals, with the Championship playoff final being among the most attended fixtures on the UK football schedule.
Epsom Downs
Epsom Downs is the biggest horse racing track in the United Kingdom in terms of capacity, with 80,000 fans able to attend the racing action in Surrey.
This track was first opened in 1661, and it is known for hosting one of the biggest races on the UK calendar in the form of the Epsom Derby. The Derby is one of the most famous international races, with horses aged three competing over a mile and a half.
The Oaks is also staged across the same weekend for the fillies, while the Coronation Cup is staged for horses aged older than three. It has been a track visited by royalty throughout history, with Queen Elizabeth II attending Derby Day for the majority of her reign.
Aintree Racecourse
There are few more popular betting events on the sporting calendar than the Grand National, which is staged annually at Aintree. The Liverpool track is owned by the Jockey Club, and was first opened in 1829.
Aintree comes alive in April, with the three-day Grand National meet being its most popular event on the calendar. The Grand National is one of the world’s most famous races, with the richest handicap chase having been staged since 1839. It has the same importance to UK, as the Kentucky Derby to USA according to
TwinSpires.
It sees the field compete over four miles, with a purse of £1 million up for grabs. This race has produced some of the most memorable moments in horse racing history, with legendary winners including Red Rum, Tiger Roll, and Many Clouds.
Old Trafford
The biggest club football stadium in the United Kingdom is Old Trafford. The home of
Manchester United can accommodate up to 74,310 fans, and it has also been used to stage rugby league matches such as the Grand Final.
Old Trafford was first opened in 1910, and was last renovated in 2006. However, United were forced away from the Theatre of Dreams between 1941 and 1949 due to damage from the Second World War. The capacity of Old Trafford is set to increase further, with plans already in place to renovate the famous ground.
As well as hosting all Man United home fixtures, Old Trafford also played host to FA Cup semi-finals, as well as matches during the 1966 World Cup, 1996 EUROs, and the 2012 Olympic Games.
Cheltenham Racecourse
There are few more iconic sporting venues in the United Kingdom than Cheltenham Racecourse. The venue was opened for the first time in 1815, but it has been the home of National Hunt racing since 1818. The four biggest days on the jumps schedule are staged at the iconic venue in the Cotswolds every March, with international visitors in attendance to get up close and personal with some of the very best horses in training.
The Cheltenham Festival is one of the most attended international horse racing events on the planet, with 67,500 fans regularly packing out the track. On the opening day, fans will be treated to the best over smaller obstacles with the Champion Hurdle, before the Champion Chase and Stayers’ Hurdle headline the day of action on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.
However, the week is brought to its dramatic conclusion on the final day, as the battle for the iconic Cheltenham Gold Cup is staged. The Gold Cup has been run since 1924, with legendary winners of the race throughout history including Best Mate, Arkle, Denman, and Golden Miller.
