New RIBA exhibition spotlights the evolution of football stadium design

Home ground: The architecture of football, highlights the history of football stadium design from the 1890s to the present day, exploring some of the game’s most iconic grounds.

Inspired by Everton FC’s forthcoming opening of the new Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool, the exhibition features more than 50 stadiums from around the world.

Through architectural models, photographs, and archive material, visitors will gain insight into how architecture plays a pivotal role in the stadium experience, not only serving as a venue for sport but as a cultural landmark and focal point for the local community and fans alike.

Image: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - Populous

The exhibition presents the history of stadium design, beginning with Archibald Leitch, who designed stadia for many leading clubs at the beginning of the 20th Century, including Everton, Chelsea, and Glasgow Rangers. Modern stadiums are then explored through the works of leading contemporary architecture practices, such as BDP, Populous, Herzog and de Meuron, gmp von Gerkan, Marg and Partners Architects, alongside archival material from clubs and cities across Europe.

Highlights include:

• Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool, (Meis/BDP) - the brand new home ground of Everton FC at Bramley-Moore Dock, blending the area’s industrial heritage with modern design, inspired by the nearby brick box Tabacco Warehouse.
• Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow - one of Archibald Leitch's finest and last remaining in-use stadiums, Ibrox is the third largest football stadium in Scotland and home of the Glasgow Rangers Football Club.
• Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence - an early project by the maestro of concrete engineering, Pier Luighi Nervi, Artemio Franchi is currently the home of ACF Fiorentina.
• Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan - remodelled extensively after the Italia 90 World Cup, Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, better known as the San Siro Stadium, is the home stadium of the two biggest teams in Milan.
• Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London - designed by Populous, this modern stadium is the largest club stadium in London and, thanks to its retractable pitch, the first in the world to be purpose-built for the NFL outside the U.S.
• Allianz Arena, Munich - designed by Herzog and de Meuron, the stadium is widely known for its pioneering luminous facade of ETFE cushions, and is the first stadium in the world with a full colour changing exterior.
• Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid - originally built in the 1950s, Estadio Santiago Bernabéu has now transformed into a contemporary mixed-use entertainment arena.

RIBA President, Muyiwa Oki, said: “Football has a unique ability to stir emotions, cross borders and captivate the world. At their best, stadiums are as iconic as the players themselves, etched into the hearts of fans long after the final whistle. For architects, they offer a rare opportunity to help shape the beautiful game. From the red and blue cauldron of Barcelona's Nou Camp to the iconic arch of Wembley rising in the backdrop of London, great design can amplify atmosphere, heighten drama and leave a lasting mark on a city’s skylines.”

Oliver Urquhart-Irvine, Executive Director, Architecture programmes and collections at RIBA, said: “We are proud to present Home ground: The architecture of football, which offers a rare opportunity to explore the design and engineering history of football stadiums, while also celebrating their wide ranging social and cultural impact. This will be the first major RIBA exhibition following the temporary closure of 66 Portland Place, marking a significant step in RIBA’s public programme offering to showcase architecture’s excellence and its impact on our everyday lives.”

Home ground: The architecture of football is at Gallery One, Tate Liverpool and RIBA North, from 15 October 2025 to 6 January 2026.