While best known for hosting important soccer matches, Wembley quickly garnered a reputation as a first-class all-round sporting facility. One of the more unusual events to be held at the stadium was the 1924 International Rodeo. Those participating in the competition included Buck Lucas (1898–1960), a Nebraska horseman and noted rider during rodeo's first golden age of the 1920s. Lucas is pictured at the stadium looking as if he's just ridden in off the prairie.

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Individual Speedway World Championship -

Horse power of a different kind had arrived at Wembley as early as 1929 with the hosting of the motorcycle speedway. Between 1936 and 1960 (with a break between 1939 and 1945 due to the outbreak of the Second World War), Wembley hosted all of the first 15 finals of the Speedway World Championship. Another nine were held at the stadium before the breaks were applied on the tournament in 1981. Pictured is the 1949 final, with Aussies Aub Lawson, left, and Graham Warren battling it out at speed in front of 93,000 race fans.

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The 1948 Summer Olympic Games -

Wembley stadium was one of the venues for the London 1948 Summer Olympic Games. Dubbed the "Austerity Games" in the wake of Britain's struggle to recover from six years of war, ingenious ways were found to make the best of a limited budget. For example, the stadium was converted into an athletics ground by putting 800 tonnes of cinders over the greyhound track.

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Athletics -

One of the sporting heroes of the 1948 games was Emil Zátopek (1922–2000) of Czechoslovakia, who won the 10,000 m to clinch the gold medal. He is the only runner to win the 5,000 m, the 10,000 m, and the marathon at the same Olympic Games, doing so at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki. Years later, the new Wembley would host some of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games events.

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First European Cup Final -

The first European Cup Final was held at Wembley on May 22, 1963 which saw Milan beat Benfica 2–1 to win their first ever European Cup. Pictured is Benfica's Eusébio and Milan's Cesare Maldini in action on the day.

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Heavyweight boxing: Cooper vs. Clay -

On June 18, 1963, Wembley hosted a heavyweight boxing match between London native boxer Henry Cooper and rising star Cassius Clay (later Muhammad Ali) in front of 35,000 spectators. During the bout, Cooper managed to briefly floor his opponent. But despite this setback, Clay went on to win. However, it should be noted that it was the first time he had ever officially been knocked down.

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1966 World Cup Final -

Wembley witnessed English soccer's finest moment to date when on July 30, 1966, skipper Bobby Moore hoisted the World Cup over the shoulders of his teammates after England claimed a 4–2 victory over West Germany.

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London Rock and Roll Show -

The very first music concert hosted at Wembley was the Oxfam Walk charity concert in 1969, which featured Status Quo and Yes. But it was 1972's London Rock and Roll Show on August 5 that stole the headlines. The concert provided the template for all future music extravaganzas held at the venue and featured a program of legendary performers, including Little Richard (pictured), Jerry Lee Lewis, and Bill Haley and His Comets.

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England vs. Scotland -

Scotland's famous 2–1 victory over England on June 4, 1977 ended with the "Tartan Army" running wild and invading the Wembley pitch, smashing and tearing down the goal posts in a display of over- zealous jubilation.

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Knievel takes a tumble -

American stunt motorcyclist Evel Knievel crash landed in spectacular fashion as he attempted to jump a line of 13 single-deck buses at Wembley Stadium on May 26, 1975. He hit the ground at 144 km/h (90 mph), and fractured his hand and damaged his spine.

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Pope John Paul II -

During his visit to Great Britain in 1982, Pope John Paul II conducted an open-air mass at Wembley attended by a congregation of over 70,000 people.

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Simon and Garfunkel -

American folk duo Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel patched up their differences enough in the early 1980s to embark on a tour, which took them to Wembley Stadium on June 19, 1982.

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Live Aid -

The Live Aid benefit music concert held at Wembley on July 13, 1985 was attended by approximately 72,000 music fans. Queen, David Bowie, Paul McCartney, Elton John, and Phil Collins were among the big-name stars who performed throughout the day and into the evening.

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Madonna -

Madonna made her inaugural Wembley appearance on August 19, 1987, the first in a series of shows the Material Girl put on at the stadium throughout the late 1980s and early '90s.

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Michael Jackson -

The late Michael Jackson holds the record for the most appearances at Wembley, with 15 shows. His Bad World Tour Wembley gigs in 1988 (pictured) generated sales of over 1.1 million tickets, with a combined total of 504,000 people attending the seven sold-out shows.

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Nelson Mandela: An International Tribute for a Free South Africa Concert -

On April 16, 1990, two months after the release of Nelson Mandela, Wembley hosted the Nelson Mandela: An International Tribute for a Free South Africa Concert to help raise awareness of the Anti-Apartheid Movement, and as an official reception for the man who'd been held captive in a jail for over 27 years. Artists performing that day included Lou Reed, Neil Young, and Peter Gabriel. Mandela himself appeared on stage for 45 minutes. The event was broadcast to more than 60 countries.

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Last soccer game at the original Wembley -

Old rivals England and Germany took to the Wembley pitch again on October 7, 2000 to play the final game hosted at the 1923 stadium. Germany's Dietmar Hamann scored the very last goal to beat the hosts 0–1. Coincidentally, the photograph shows Dietmar with Gareth Southgate, the current manager of the England national team.

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New Wembley Stadium -

The new Wembley Stadium opened on the site of its demolished predecessor on March 9, 2007. The venue boasts a capacity of 90,000.

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First FA Cup Final in new stadium -

The first FA Cup Final hosted in the new stadium was played on May 19, 2007 between Chelsea and Manchester United. Pictured is Chelsea's Didier Drogba putting the ball past United's goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar. Chelsea triumphed 1–0.

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American football -

Few realize that American football was played at Wembley as early as 1952 when the American Air Forces in Europe Football Championship final between the Burtonwood Bullets and Fuerstenfeldbruck Eagles took place at the stadium on December 13 that year. The 1980s saw a revival of the transatlantic brand of football, and games have been held on and off ever since. Pictured are cheerleaders warming up the Wembley crowds before the Miami Dolphins and New York Giants international series NFL game in October 2007.

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Music comes back -

The late George Michael was the first entertainer to give a concert at the new venue, seen here during his 25Live concert on June 9, 2007.

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Coldplay -

Jonny Buckland and Chris Martin of Coldplay perform on stage at Wembley Stadium on September 18, 2009. The band were on their hugely successful Viva la Vida Tour.

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2015 FA Women's Cup Final -

The 2015 FA Women's Cup Final was the first women's final to be staged at Wembley Stadium. Pictured is Katie Chapman (right) and Claire Rafferty of Chelsea Ladies FC lifting the trophy after victory against Notts County Ladies on August 1.

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Boxing hits back -

World-class boxing continues to be staged at the stadium. Pictured is British fighter Anthony Joshua celebrating his win over Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko during the IBF, WBA, and IBO Heavyweight World Title bout on April 29, 2017.

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Adele -

On June 28 and 29, 2017, Adele concluded her world tour with two concerts at Wembley. Each show attracted 98,000 fans, currently a stadium record for a music event. Originally a four-concert program, the British singer had to cancel the last two scheduled shows after damaging her vocal cords.

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Wembley Stadium today -

London's Wembley Stadium remains the largest stadium in the UK, and the second-largest in Europe, after Barcelona's Camp Nou.

Sources: (The Guardian) (Olympics) (The Independent) (Music Week)

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The enduring appeal of Wembley Stadium

Wembley Stadium is due to host the semi-finals and final of the 2020 Euro Championships, postponed due to the pandemic

30/06/21 | StarsInsider

TRAVEL United kingdom

One of the most famous sports arenas in the world is Wembley Stadium. Associated mostly with international soccer, the iconic venue has a surprising history of hosting a wealth of other sporting competitions, including boxing bouts, rodeo events, and even American football. Wembley also serves as a premier stage for music concerts, where some of the biggest names in entertainment, performers that include Madonna, George Michael, and Adele, have played.

Click through and kick off a nostalgic look back at the history of Wembley Stadium.