Anfield Stadium

Anfield is one of the few football stadiums known the world over by name alone. A traditional four cornered ground with stands close to the pitch and a famous atmosphere, the ground in fact initially played host to Liverpool’s bitter local rivals Everton.

Having hosted Liverpool FC for nearly 125 years, the Main Stand was redeveloped ahead of the 2016-2017 season and both capacity and facilities were improved as a result. As host to one of England’s most successful football teams, Anfield has a large museum and very popular stadium tours. Full hospitality is available on matchdays with corporate hosting, private hire and conference facilities at other times.

The stadium is worth a visit for anyone visiting the city of Liverpool, not just on matchdays. Anfield is also very close to Goodison Park, home to Everton FC, with a walk of just over half a mile required through Stanley Park to get there.

General information

Official website: https://www.thisisanfield.com/

Arena capacity: 54,074 spectators

Address: Liverpool Football Club, Anfield Road, Liverpool, L4 0TH

GPS coordinates for the navigator: 53°25′50.98″N 2°57′39.05″W

Year of construction: 1884

Construction cost: 75 million pounds (first phase)

Field: GrassMaster lawn with dimensions of 101 metres (110 yd) by 68 metres (74 yd)

Seating plan of the Anfield Stadium

At one time walking up to Anfield alongside or through Stanley Park, you sometimes struggled to see the stadium behind the tree line. And when you did get a glimpse of the concrete cladding of the exterior of the stands, it didn’t looking particularly impressive. But this has now dramatically changed with the construction of two additional tiers above the Main Stand.

These extra tiers have made this stand simply huge, having increased the capacity of it from 12,000 to 20,500 and increased the overall capacity of Anfield to over 54,000. The expanded Main Stand now towers of the rest of the stadium and even makes the Kop Stand (with a capacity of 13,000) look rather small. The Main Stand itself looks smart with single rows of executive boxes located between the tiers and having the players tunnel and team dugouts located out front.

Its most striking feature though is its roof. Mostly made up of transparent panels to allow more light to the pitch, it protrudes out over the stand, by quite some distance and is curved to each side of the stand.

The famous Kop Terrace at one end of the ground was replaced in 1994 by a huge stand, designed to emulate the shape of the old Kop, hence its kind of semi-circular look and large single tier. The other end, the Anfield Road Stand, part of which is given to away supporters, was opened in 1998. It is two tiered with a smaller upper tier overhanging a larger lower one.

On the remaining side of the stadium is the fair sized, two-tiered, Kenny Dalglish Stand, which is named after the former club player and manager. This Stand was originally called the Kemlyn Road Stand (and later named the Centenary Stand), part of which was built in 1963 with an additional tier and row of executive boxes being added in 1992.

It has a capacity of just under 12,000. In the corner between the Kop and Kenny Dalglish Stands is an electric scoreboard, which surprise, surprise, shows the match score in bright red letters. The stadium is totally enclosed, with all corners filled. This coupled with the closeness of the front of the stands to the pitch, can make for a great atmosphere.

Around the outside of Anfield, there is the statue of the great man, Bill Shankly located near to the Club shop, as well as the Bob Paisley ‘Gateway’. Normally on the other side of the stadium on Anfield Road there are wrought iron gates which have the legendary Liverpool phrase ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ displayed above them. Whilst behind the Main Stand there is the moving memorial to the victims of the Hillsborough disaster.

Away fans

Away fans are located in the Anfield Road Stand at one end of the ground, where just under 3,000 seats are available, although this can be increased for cup games. This stand is also shared with home supporters, some of whom will be sitting in the small seated tier above the away fans. Try to avoid getting tickets sold as restricted view, for the rear rows of the Anfield Road Stand as it can be difficult to see the goals with people standing up in front of you.

Restricted view doesn’t even begin to describe what it was like. The Wolves fans insisted on standing so it was like trying to watch the game through a letterbox! The facilities within the stand are not bad. There is a betting outlet and the refreshment kiosks sell a wide variety of Pies including a ‘Scouse Pie’, Potato and Meat, Potato and Butter, Cheese Slices and Sausage Rolls (all £3.40).

I have always found it to be a good day out at Anfield, getting the feeling that you are visiting one of the legendary venues in world football. This is enhanced with the teams coming out to ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ reverberating around the ground, with the red and white scarves and flags of the fans displayed across the Kop, at the beginning of the match. The atmosphere is normally good, so sit back and enjoy the experience.

Where to buy tickets?

The ticket price situation at Anfield has long been a matter for discussion amongst supporters, with thousands protesting price hikes during the 2015-2016 season. Liverpool were playing Sunderland and leading 2-0 when vast swathes of supporters stood up and left in consternation at plans to raise the ticket prices.

The Reds went on to draw 2-2, perhaps implying that fans can make a massive difference to a game. As a result of the protest the club’s owners, Fenway Sports Group, dropped their plans to raise ticket prices and made more effort to listen to supporters.

As with most top-clubs, how much you pay for your ticket depends entirely on where you’re sitting and the competition you’re hoping to watch. Champions League tickets are more expensive than League Cup games, for example.

As well as abandoning their plans to raise prices during the 2015-2016 season, FSG also abandoned the tiered system of pricing that had been in place. As a result, you’ll pay the same amount of money for a game against Sunderland as you will for Manchester United.

For adults prices range from £9 through to £59, with concessions paying between £9 and £44. Young adults will pay between £9 and £29.50, whilst juniors will pay £9 across the board. The problem is that there are limited junior tickets, meaning if you don’t get one of the few £9 tickets then a junior will have to pay the same price as an adult.

Owing to the popularity of Liverpool games, demand is such that access has been a real problem for supporters. It is something that the club is trying to deal with but it’s not an easy fix.

Home Fans

1. Main Stand (Lower and Upper Centre): Adults £59 Over 65’s £44, Under 22’s £29.50, Under 17’s £9.
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2. Kenny Dalglish Stand (Centre): Adults £57 Over 65’s £43, Under 22’s £28.50, Under 17’s £9.
3. Kenny Dalglish Stand (Outer Centre): Adults £55 Over 65’s £41, Under 22’s £27.50, Under 17’s £9.
4. Main Stand (Outer Upper Centre): Adults £55 Over 65’s £41, Under 22’s £27.50, Under 17’s £9.
5. Anfield Road Stand (Upper Centre): Adults £53 Over 65’s £40, Under 22’s £26.50, Under 17’s £9.
6. Main Stand (Upper & Lower Outer Wings): Adults £53 Over 65’s £40, Under 22’s £26.50, Under 17’s £9.
7. Kenny Dalglish Stand: (Outer Wings): Adults £53 Over 65’s £40, Under 22’s £26.50, Under 17’s £9.
8. Anfield Road Stand (Upper Tier Wings): Adults £48 Over 65’s £36, Under 22’s £24, Under 17’s £9.
9. Anfield Road Stand (Lower Tier): Adults £48 Over 65’s £36, Under 22’s £24, Under 17’s £9.
10. Anfield Road Stand (Outer Wings): Adults £46 Over 65’s £34.50, Under 22’s £23, Under 17’s £9.
11. The Kop Stand (Centre): Adults £43 Over 65’s £32, Under 22’s £21.50, Under 17’s £9.
12. The Kop Stand (Wings): Adults £42 Over 65’s £31.50, Under 22’s £21, Under 17’s £9.
13. The Kop Stand (Outer Wings): Adults £37 Over 65’s £28, Under 22’s £18.50, Under 17’s £9.

Away Fans*

As per an agreement with all Premier League Clubs, away fans will be charged a maximum price of those shown below for all League games:

• Adults £30 Over 65’s £22.50 Under 22’s £15 Under 17’s £9.

The prices above are for Premier League matches. Other Cup matches (both domestic and European) are priced separately. See the official Liverpool FC website for details.

*In addition, the Club also offers some restricted view tickets at a £1 discount or severely restricted view tickets at a £3 discount (Except Under 17’s tickets which will remain at £9).

Ticket availability is published on the Liverpool FC website. Liverpool FC very often sell out for Premier League and Champions League games in particular. You can become a member of the club, this will give you a fan card.

Tickets are released preferably to fan card holders and/or season ticket holders who have attended a select number of games. Tickets can be digitally uploaded to a fan card reducing the need for a paper ticket, this also gives you some security should you lose your ticket.

We recommend you do not buy tickets from sellers outside the stadium, these are often fraudulent and this is against the clubs ticketing policy. If a game is sold out you may be able to buy tickets and packages from third sellers, some of whom are listed here.

How to get there?

Anfield is a traditional inner city residential area in the city of Liverpool and as a consequence transport links are not as developed as some other inner city stadiums.

Follow the M62 until you reach the end of the motorway (beware of a 50mph speed camera about a 1/4 of a mile from the end of the motorway). Then keep right and take the A5058 Ring Road North, signposted Football Stadia. After three miles turn left at the traffic lights into Utting Avenue (there is a McDonalds on the corner of this junction). Proceed for one mile and then turn right at the Arkles pub for the ground.

Car Parking

The opening of the new Main Stand has increased attendances at Anfield and with it the demand for car parking spaces. This has resulted in the fair sized car park in Stanley Park, now being reserved for permit holders only. There is though still secure parking available at nearby Goodison Park which costs £10.

You can park at The Dockers Club, home of Liverpool County Premier League side Waterloo Dock on Townsend Lane (A580) at a cost of £5. It is then a 15 minute walk to Anfield. I even watched Waterloo Dock v Old Xaverians first, before going to the Liverpool game. In addition, there is an extensive ‘Residents Only Parking Scheme’ in place in streets around Anfield.

This means that in the directions above then the Residents Only Zone starts immediately as you turn left onto Utting Avenue. There is also the option of renting a private driveway near Anfield via YourParkingSpace.co.uk.

Post Code for SAT NAV: L4 0TH.

By train

Kirkdale Railway Station is the closest to the ground (just under a mile away). However, it may be more advisable to go to Sandhills Railway Station as this has the benefit of a bus service to the ground, which runs for a couple of hours before and for 50 minutes after a game and drops you within easy walking distance of the ground.

The best route for away fans from the city centre if they want to use public transport is definitely the Merseyrail Northern Line to Sandhills where they alight and catch the special Soccerbuses; trains can be caught from Liverpool Central and Moorfields. If fans are buying their train tickets in Liverpool, ask for a return to Anfield as opposed to Sandhills even though that’s where you’re getting off.

The advantage of doing this is that the train ticket is valid also for the Soccerbus and the additional fare is £1.80 return as opposed to £1 each way that you’d have to pay on the bus if you only bought your ticket to Sandhills.  If fans want to get a taxi from Lime Street, they’re about £8′. Both Sandhills & Kirkdale stations can be reached by first getting a train from Liverpool Lime Street to Liverpool Central and then changing there.

The main railway station in Liverpool is Lime Street which is located just over two miles away from the ground and so is quite a walk (although it is mostly downhill on the way back to the station), so either head for Sandhills or Kirkdale stations or jump in a taxi. You can catch various buses from the bus station which is seven minutes walk away from the train station and is well  signposted.

Either the 17a 17b 17c or the 26 will drop you right outside the ground at a cost of about a £1. The buses are run by Arriva and the journey takes about 15 to 25 minutes dependant on traffic. Although the No 17 Bus took only 15 minutes to reach Anfield from the station, after the game it takes almost 50 minutes, as the roads are clogged with fans walking home. However, everyone is friendly.

Walking Directions From Kirkdale Station:

On exiting from Kirkdale Station turn right and then cross the railway bridge, you will see a pub opposite called the ‘Melrose Abbey’, (which has been recommended). Walk up Westminster Road, alongside the pub and continue along it, passing the Elm Tree pub. Follow the road around the right hand bend and then turn left into Bradewell Street.

At the end of Bradwell Street you will come to the busy County Road (A59). Cross over this road at the traffic lights and then go down the road to the left of the Aldi superstore. At the end of this road you will reach the A580 Walton Lane. You should be able to see Goodison Park over on your left and Stanley Park in front of you. Cross Walton Lane and either enter Stanley Park following the footpath through the park (keeping to the right), which will exit into Anfield Road and the away end.

Or bear right down Walton Lane and then turn left down the road at the end of Stanley Park for the ground. Thanks to Jon Roche for providing these directions.

Booking train tickets in advance will normally save you money! Find train times, prices and book tickets with Trainline. Visit the Trainline website below to see how much you can save on the price of your tickets.

Bus

Liverpool has a comprehensive bus service with several routes running from the city centre (17, 26, 27 and 917), and other routes running from Bootle and Aigburth (68 and 168). Both the 14 and 19 run from the city and stop near the ground.

Taxi

Form the city centre taxis take around 10 minutes with a distance of 2-3 miles.

Facilities

Despite its age Anfield is a thoroughly modern football ground. Since the current owners have decided to redevelop Anfield rather than move you can be assured both the stadium and the facilities will be clean and maintained. All stands have concourses with bars, toilets and match day programme sellers. Disabled access in all stands.

The club have a stadium shop located beneath the Kop stand, the museum and stadium tour can be accessed by the same entrance. The ticket office is located at the opposite end of the kop stand to the shop.

Around the ground there are plenty of cafes and Chinese chip shops for pre and post-game grub. For restaurants you will be better staying in the city centre where there is endless choice.

Hospitality

Liverpool cater to all forms of hospitality. Anfield boasts 32 executive suite boxes lining the boundary between the lower and upper tiers of the Centenary Stand. Anfield also has a number of pre-match and post-match lounges including the Centenary Club, the No 7 lounge, the No 8 Lounge, The Reds Bar and the Premier Club in the Centenary stand and the Boot Room Sports Café in the Kop stand. The new Main Stand has also added some further hospitality areas to the stadium.

There are also a series of off-site lounges included in some packages.

Prices vary a lot depending on the level of hospitality required and the fixture you would like to attend. Full hospitality packages include accommodation, pre and post-match lounge access and a 5 course meal at the ground.

1. Large Executive Boxes. Up to 22 guests in a private box, 5 course pre-match meal, half-time refreshments, dedicated host, match day gift, tv, wifi and more.
2. Sevens and Eights Lounge. Centenary stand matchday ticket, Four course buffet meal, half-time refreshments, matchday programme, betting facilities, cash bar, TV + Wifi.
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3. The Boot Room Café (pre-match). Located in the Kop, package includes an upper Anfield Road match ticket, museum access, three course meal, former LFC player, matchday programme, cash bar, TV + Wifi.
4. The Boot Room Café (pre-match). As above with 2 course meal and no museum access.
5. The Reds Bar. Informal lounge, lower centenary ticket, main meal, tea and coffee, programme, TV/Wifi and cash bar.
6. The Anfield Dugout. Available on match-days this is part of the latest hospitality in the new Main Stand that comes with half time refreshment, car parking and match ticket.
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7. Executive Lounge. Match day only, seating around the half way line in the middle tier of the main stand comes with 5 course lunch, comp bar and refreshments and all the other perks (programmes, former player visits, etc).
8. The 1892 Lounge. Another new Main Stand hospitality suite next to the Directors’ box in the lower tier. This comes with a four course meal, full complimentary refreshments and visits from former players, etc.
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9. Premium Lounge. Match day only, seating higher up in the Main Stand with 4-course lunch and other hospitality as described above.
10. Centenary Club. For matchdays, fans get a ticket in the upper centenary, a table in the Champions or European Lounge and a carvery lunch with half time refreshments and other niceties.
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Phone: 0151 264 2222

Email: [email protected]

Hospitality packages are also available from other operators.

Private hire

Liverpool FC and Anfield cater for private hire, conferences and non-matchday hospitality.

Anfield hosts meetings and business events using their 31 syndicate rooms and larger conferences in the Shanks, Paisley, Champions and European Lounges. The stadium can also host training events as well as banquets, dinners & lunches.

Anfield is licensed to hold civil weddings including the possibility to be married on the pitch. Private rooms can also be hired for anything from birthdays to children’s parties and funerals.

Special events are also held at the stadium including evening events celebrating past players and glories as well as Christmas lunches, charity events and more. The club also provide ‘The Anfield Experience’ that includes a meal in an executive box, museum and tour as well meeting an LFC legend. ‘The Ultimate Anfield Experience’ also includes the option to train with coaches at the academy.

These experiences can be booked through the club and are also available from third parties some of which are listed here:

Anfield Hotels

Anfield is so close to the city centre it’s recommended for you to stay in one of the city’s numerous and famous hotels and commute to the ground.

1. Hard Days Night Hotel – From £154/Night. Address: Central Buildings, N John St, Liverpool, L2 6RR. Also known as the Beatles hotel, located in Liverpool’s North John Street in the City Centre. Rooms start at £154/night based on two sharing.
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2. The Titanic Hotel – From £99/Night. Address: Stanley Dock, Regent Rd, Liverpool,L3 0AN. Located in Stanley Dock in one of the city’s fabulous old converted warehouses. Rooms start at around £99 a night.
3. The Devonshire House Hotel – From £42/Night. Address: 293-297 Edge Ln, Liverpool, Merseyside, L7 9LD. There are plenty of places to stay on a budget. The Devonshire House Hotel on Liverpool’s Edge Lane is perfect for those staying the night and as little as £42/night.
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Pubs & Bars Near Anfield

The Arkles pub (pictured right) near to the ground on Anfield Road, is known as the away fans pub, but as can be expected it can get extremely crowded. It also has a handy fish and chip shop located just around the corner from it, called John’s Supper Bar.

Flat Iron is a five minute walk away. Although the pub is mostly full of Liverpool fans, the bars are mixed and all are very friendly. To find this pub, turn left at the junction where Arkles is (opposite direction to where Anfield is over to your right) onto Anfield Road.

Head away from the ground and the pub is down at the bottom of this road on the right hand side. Otherwise located near to the away turnstiles is a food and drink area, which serves alcohol too. Bottles of Carlsberg (500ml) are also available inside the stadium, at a cost of £3.90 each.

History

Anfield is synonymous with Liverpool football club but for the first seven years of its existence it in fact played host to Everton Football Club. The ground opened in 1884 seeing Everton beat Earlestown 5-0, however then Everton vacated the ground in a rent dispute and newly founded Liverpool moved in beating Rotherham 7-0 in their opening game.

Following the Hillsborough disaster and the Taylor report the stadium was converted to all seater. The bronze Shankly statue was erect , a two tier Anfield Road and the Paisley Gates were opened.

Following years of uncertainty about whether to open a new stadium or redevelop the decision was finally reached to add another tier to the main stand. The new stand opened for the 2016/17 season adding a further 8,500 seats and taking the total capacity up to 54,074. The first game in front of the new stand saw Liverpool convincingly see off the then Champions Leicester 4-1, this was the highest attendance match since 1977 played in front of 53,075 people.