A new exhibition coming to Tate Liverpool and RIBA North this autumn invites visitors to step beyond the turnstiles and into the heart of some of football’s most iconic spaces. Home Ground: The Architecture of Football runs from 15 October 2025 to 6 January 2026, and it celebrates stadiums not just as arenas of sport, but as cultural landmarks deeply embedded in the identity of cities and communities.

“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.“

RIBA President Muyiwa Oki

For more than 125 years, football stadiums have shaped the urban fabric of towns and cities around the world. They are places of weekly pilgrimage where fans gather in shared hope, pride, and passion. As this compelling exhibition reveals, stadiums are more than bricks and steel—they are powerful symbols of place, belonging, and collective memory.

At the centre of Home Ground is a profound question: why do stadiums matter so much? The answer lies not just in the roar of the crowd, but in the architecture itself. From early wooden terraces to today’s cutting-edge arenas, stadiums have always been spaces where identity is built, sustained, and proudly displayed.

Inspired by the forthcoming opening of Everton Football Club’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock in Liverpool, the exhibition spans more than 50 stadiums across the globe. Through architectural models, archival photographs, films, and original drawings, Home Ground traces the evolution of stadium design—from the work of early 20th-century pioneer Archibald Leitch to the visionary contemporary practices shaping the game today.

Key exhibits include:

• Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool – Everton FC’s soon-to-open home blends industrial heritage with modern design, referencing the nearby Tobacco Warehouse through its striking brick form.
• Allianz Arena, Munich – Designed by Herzog and de Meuron, this glowing stadium is the first in the world with a fully colour-changing LED exterior, transforming the fan experience inside and out.
• Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London – Built by Populous, this is the largest club stadium in London, and the first in the world purpose-built to host the NFL outside the United States.
• Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow – One of the finest surviving examples of Leitch’s early stadium work, and still home to Glasgow Rangers.
• Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence – A concrete masterpiece by Pier Luigi Nervi, showing how engineering and artistry combine in sport.
• Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid – A mid-century icon now transformed into a modern, multi-purpose entertainment arena.

Beyond the architectural feats, the exhibition also highlights the social role of stadiums as hubs of community life. Archival material from clubs and cities across Europe brings to life how stadiums serve as gathering points—not just for match days, but for identity, protest, celebration, and remembrance.

RIBA President Muyiwa Oki underscores the emotional and architectural significance of stadiums:
“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. From the red and blue cauldron of Barcelona’s Nou Camp to the iconic arch of Wembley, great design can amplify atmosphere, heighten drama and leave a lasting mark on a city’s skyline.”

This exhibition is the first major public programme from RIBA since the temporary closure of 66 Portland Place, marking a new chapter in how architectural history is shared with the public. As Oliver Urquhart-Irvine, RIBA’s Executive Director of Architecture Programmes and Collections, notes:
“We are proud to present Home Ground, 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.”

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