Sports events guide London
Londoners are passionate about their sports events and the city hosts the biggest events in the country from Wimbledon Tennis Championships to rowing races on the Thames. Many a friendship is started through sports. Ask to go along to one of these events with your new colleagues and, if it is not live, be prepared for an evening with beer and munchies in front of a large TV screen in a pub.
Football (‘Soccer’)
Football is the most popular sport in London and around the UK. Think Arsenal; Chelsea; Tottenham. Going to football games or watching them at the local pub are major London activities. The new Emirates/Arsenal stadium in Highbury is a huge draw. Football match tickets are very expensive so expect to pay even more than £100. Contact your favorite team’s box office or Ticketmaster (http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk). To contact the major clubs visit the following websites: for Arsenal http://www.arsenal.com, for Chelsea http://www.chelseafc.com, for Tottenham Hot Spur http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com, and last but not least, the family crowd puller Charlton Atlhetic http://www.cafc.co.uk.
Cricket
Cricket is a big sport in the UK. Check out http://www.cricket.co.uk for all your cricket news. Ticketmaster is a good source for cricket tickets. The home of cricket is Lord’s Cricket Ground at Marylebone (North) http://www.lords.org/ complete with grounds, school and museum. Also check out The Oval cricket ground near Kennington in south London http://www.allinlondon.co.uk/the-oval-cricket-ground.php.
Rugby
The Rugby Football Union (http://www.rfu.com) is your place for rugby news. Twickenham Stadium near Putney is the London home of Rugby to find a club near you check http://www.rugbyinlondon.com/.
Tennis
Wimbledon: http://www.wimbledon.org
Wimbledon is probably the most famous tennis match and it happens right near London. The match is underway late June but getting tickets is always tough. Most tickets are sold via public ballot and you must enter this ballot before 31 December for the following year’s match. Details on how to enter for tickets are on the site. If watching tennis is popular, practising is even more popular, find a court, a tennis partner or join a tournament via http://www.londontennis.co.uk.
London Marathon
London Marathon is the largest fund raising event on the planet and the biggest of all city marathons. The length of the race is 42.195 kilometers or 26.219 miles, watched by millions lining the streets of London from its start, on the East, in Blackheath/Greenwich to a royal finishing line opposite Buckingham Palace on the Mall. Serious competitors mingle with fun-runners. For more information: http://www.virginlondonmarathon.com
