BBC SPORT | Photo Galleries

BBC SPORT / PHOTO GALLERIES
Graphics Version | BBC News Home

Saturday, 10 March 2007, 11:30 GMT

Wembley photos

Supporters at Wembley for the last ever game held at the stadium

1 of 19
The last ever football game to be played at the old Wembley Stadium ends England 0-1 Germany on 7 October 2000

The twin towers of Wembley Stadium waiting to be demolished

The twin towers of Wembley Stadium waiting to be demolished

2 of 19
Not until 30 September 2002 does the long-awaited demolition work begin as bulldozers move in on the twin towers

A second tower is destroyed

3 of 19
Just a fraction of a tower remains as work to demolish the rest of the original stadium's structure nears completion

The new stadium's arch is raised into position

The new stadium's arch is raised into position

4 of 19
The new stadium's shape starts to emerge as the iconic arch is raised into position above the stands' skeletons in 2004

The new arch is now in place

5 of 19
The arch stands serenely above the chaos of ongoing construction work, a full 133m above where the pitch will be

The illuminated arch by night

6 of 19
On 6 July 2005 the arch is lit up to celebrate the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games being awarded to London

Construction work continues inside the stadium

Construction work continues inside the stadium

7 of 19
But in the cold light of day there is still much work to be done on the new stadium's interior

The stadium's arch can be seen behind the A406

8 of 19
As storm clouds gather over Wembley on 21 February 2006, the FA announce the Cup Final will again be played in Cardiff

The England football team, clad in hard hats and yellow vests, visit the partially-built stadium

The England football team, clad in hard hats and yellow vests, visit the partially-built stadium

9 of 19
In May 2006, the England football team and boss Sven-Goran Eriksson are invited to check out the new stadium

England's winning 1966 World Cup team's surviving members in front of the new stadium

10 of 19
One week later England's winning 1966 World Cup team reunite with their original shirts at the north London stadium

The first turf is laid on the new pitch

11 of 19
On 12 June 2006 the first strip of turf is laid, exactly one month after Wembley was meant to host the FA Cup Final

The new pitch's virgin turf

12 of 19
Amid controversy, the Football Association says the first game to be played on the new pitch will be the 2007 FA Cup Final

The pitch and seats of the new stadium seen from above

The pitch and seats of the new stadium seen from above

13 of 19
When completed, Wembley Stadium will overtake Cardiff's Millennium Stadium as the UK's largest football venue

14 of 19
Moving inside to the stadium's more private areas, the new players' changing rooms are sleek and modern in style

Luxury players' baths

15 of 19
Resembling the facilities of a luxury hotel, the bathrooms offer space in which the players can relax after a tough game

An aerial view into the lit-up stadium

16 of 19
On completion, the new stadium will have taken almost five years to build - its predecessor took a mere 300 days

Children play football outside the new Wembley Stadium on the day the FA is given the keys to the stadium

Children play football outside the new Wembley Stadium on the day the FA is given the keys to the stadium

17 of 19
The Football Association is finally given the keys to Wembley from construction firm Multiplex on Friday, 9 March 2007

Outside the finished stadium

18 of 19
The new stadium must now host test events on 17 and 24 March to gain necessary licences before it can be used

The sun rises over Wembley Stadium in early March

The sun rises over Wembley Stadium in early March

19 of 19
But the FA is confident that a new dawn at Wembley will be brought in by the return of the FA Cup final on 19 May, 2007

E-mail this to a friend

Related to this story:

FA takes control of Wembley keys (10 Mar 07 | Football )
Wembley Q&A (10 Mar 07 | Football )
Inside Wembley (28 Feb 07 | Football )