Wembley Stadium is undoubtedly an iconic venue and a landmark of London. There is no mistaking the arch of Wembley. I’m lucky enough to have visited this stadium on many different occasions. I’ve attended both as someone who was able bodied and someone who uses a mobility aid. The first wheelchair I ever bought was for a trip to Wembley. It wasn’t a very good wheelchair but it did the job last minute when we came to the realisation that I would be unable to walk around London to make it to the concert at the stadium. So, this place has really been a place that holds a lot of memories.
This year I’ve already been to Wembley on two occasions. Once for a concert and once for a football game. Can I just go back and relive them both?? The game I went to see was the Women’s Finalissima, England vs Brazil. This football match turned out to be one that makes history and a night I’ll never forget. Seeing England win the cup at Wembley stadium and lift that trophy after a brilliant game was amazing. I felt so proud and did not expect to feel the level of excitement that I did. I loved every minute of this experience; the atmosphere was brill. I got emotional and WAY too into those penalties but what made it even better was sharing it with my dad who first introduced me to football.
We used the tube to get there and back which is usually our chosen method of getting to Wembley as taxis to Wembley from the centre of London are normally rather expensive and they can’t get that close to Wembley due to the amount of traffic round there. We had a friendly staff member escort us to the disabled platform, it was just understandably busy on the actual train after a match of that size. Thankfully my chair is small and nimble and able to get into tight places.
Accessible seating at Wembley is one of my favourites which is weird to say that I have favourite accessible seating but it’s true! London arenas, Wembley Stadium and The O2, are two of my top places for accessibility. Our seats and view were perfect for this game. We always try and get our tickets to either Wembley or The O2 as that’s how good they are, they don’t make you feel separated from the crowd or atmosphere. They have a good view and we’ve always had a good experience. Staff were great as always and everything was easily accessible.
I went back to Wembley again and it was to see none other than Harry Styles. Trying to get tickets for this concert proved difficult as it was very sought after, but we got them! It was the closest we’ve had accessible seating at Wembley for a concert.
For these two events the weather couldn’t have been more different. One took place in the summer and the other in the winter. Although the stadium has a roof, its retractable and I’ve never once seen it closed in all my visits there. What I would suggest is to definitely dress for the weather. For the hotter days at Wembley, I take a portable handheld fan to help keep me cool. Because a lot of portable fans and chargers use USB connections, I’m able to boost the charge if needed with my Whill powerchair. One of my favourite hidden features about my Whill, the USB charging point. This chair can do it all it seems!
