Fulham FC reveals unparalleled matchday experience for new Populous-designed Riverside Stand

Fulham Football Club has today unveiled a first look at the new matchday experiences inside its redeveloped Riverside Stand, which invite guests to mix with the stars, both on and off the pitch. Whether spectators want to get lost in the theatre of Premier League action or take in panoramic views of the River Thames and the iconic London skyline with friends and colleagues from the breathtaking Sky Deck, this is the spectator experience: redefined.

The new Riverside Stand, designed by Populous – the leading global architects for sports and entertainment venues – holds around 8,000 spectators and takes the capacity of Craven Cottage to 28,500. It houses restaurants, bars, conference and event spaces, a boutique hotel and a health club with a rooftop pool – a European football stadium first. The new structure complements the heritage and historic nature of Craven Cottage, which is one of the oldest continuously used grounds in England and has been home to Fulham FC since 1896.

The project was undertaken in collaboration with an engineering team from global engineering firm, WSP. To ensure the inside of the stand is as spectacular as the outside, the Club has partnered with several distinguished designers from across Europe including Lazaro Rosa Volan, Dion & Arles, Stuart Forbes Associates and Music.

Not only will the development address the Club’s operational and sporting requirements during the football season, it will also provide a community hub that will add to the vibrancy of the area on non-match days. Part of the broader redevelopment of Fulham Pier, the project transforms the “riverside walkway” into a world-class leisure destination; opening a pathway that will allow an uninterrupted walk along the banks of the River Thames between Hammersmith and Putney Bridges for the first time, connecting the stadium with the local community.

Shahid Khan, Chairman of Fulham FC, said:

My vision for the New Riverside Stand was to provide our fans, and our neighbourhood, with a destination that would continue to honour our history and tradition at Craven Cottage every day of the year, but especially so on match days with a premium experience that will be unlike anything in football, here in London or elsewhere. In short, today isn’t about finally being able to offer a higher standard of hospitality options that have essentially been unavailable to Fulham supporters until now. It’s about offering the ultimate matchday hospitality experience in the world that will also benefit the long-term promise and future of Fulham Football Club. The New Riverside Stand at Craven Cottage will make it possible.

Philip Johnson, Senior Principal and Lead Architect for the New Riverside Stand project at Populous, said:

Our vision for the New Riverside Stand at Craven Cottage was to create a unique experience that has not been seen before, whether in the context of football or beyond. It’s a privilege to bring this innovative design to life, with amazing spaces set to house incredible experiences for fans and guests. It combines a new, world-class stand that will drive the atmosphere in the ground and experience for fans on matchdays, with premium facilities that can help the club generate revenue year-round, all set in a unique location on the banks of the Thames. This project demonstrates new ways of designing individual stands, and we are proud to be part of the Club’s next chapter.

The full range of different matchday experiences launched today include:

1. The Sky Deck makes up the top three floors of the Riverside Stand, home to an unrivalled range of social settings in stunning surroundings, alongside experiential food and drink pop-ups. The rooftop level features sweeping views across the River Thames and London’s skyline – taking the matchday experience to new heights.

1. The Gourmet is Michelin Star dining at the Water’s Edge. A four course, a la carte menu, offering fine wines, champagne and cocktails, can be experienced inside or on the terrace overlooking the river.
2. The Brasserie offers a second Michelin Star dining experience with the best of both worlds. On one side, diners can take in the open-air riverside terrace and on the other, enjoy luxury seats on the halfway line, with unmatched views of the action on the pitch.
3. The Dugout – the most intimate football experience at Craven Cottage. Guests are sat directly behind the coaching staff, taking them into the thick of the action, as close as 3.5m from the touchline. Before or after the match, spectators can fall back into a stylish bar offering food, drink and enabled with immersive audio-visual technology.

From 9^th April, these luxury matchday experiences will be available to the public. The Dugout, along with Fulham FC’s Matchday Plus offering – a premium general admission ticket – are scheduled to open in line with the kick-off of the 2024/25 Premier League season. The remaining Riverside experiences – including the Sky Deck – are scheduled to open in December 2024.

The construction of the new stand has supported 2,750 jobs, with a strong emphasis on supporting local labour where possible. While internal construction remains in progress, Fulham FC employs, on average, 100 people every day, due to rise to 200 as the project nears completion.

Sodexo Live! was awarded an eleven-year contract as venue partner for Fulham FC on its new Fulham Pier development back in 2022.

For more information on the spectacular new spaces and offerings, click here.

Source & imagery, courtesy: Populous

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