Anfield: The Ultimate Liverpool FC Stadium Guide
There are football grounds, and then there is Anfield.
Home to Liverpool Football Club since 1892, Anfield is one of the most famous stadiums in world football. The Kop. The Shankly Gates. The Hillsborough Memorial. The This Is Anfield sign. The roar of You'll Never Walk Alone as the teams walk out. For generations of supporters, a visit to Anfield is a pilgrimage.
Whether you are planning your first Liverpool match, returning to Anfield after years away or building a full football weekend on Merseyside, this guide covers everything you need to know - from the history of Anfield and the different stands to travel, matchday practicalities, nearby attractions and the different ways to experience Liverpool with SEESPORTS. Everton's new riverside home is covered in our Hill Dickinson Stadium guide, so a full Merseyside football break has plenty to explore.
And when you are ready to experience it for yourself, SEESPORTS offers a choice of Anfield ticket and hotel packages - official match tickets, hotel accommodation, guaranteed seats together and Kick-off Cover included as standard, with specialist sports travel support throughout.
01 · The Essentials
Anfield at a Glance
Club
Liverpool Football Club
Stadium
Anfield
Opened
1884 (Liverpool FC resident since 1892)
Address
Anfield Road, Liverpool, L4 0TH
Capacity
More than 61,000
Pitch Dimensions
101m x 68m with a hybrid grass surface
Traditional Home End
The Spion Kop
Anthem
You'll Never Walk Alone
Nearest Rail Station
Sandhills (Merseyrail Northern Line)
Club Museum
The LFC Museum, with six European Cups
Anfield has been transformed by two major redevelopments in the last decade, growing past a capacity of 61,000 while keeping the famous stands and the atmosphere that made it legendary. But the size of the stadium only tells part of the story.
What makes Anfield special is the identity wrapped around it. The Kop. The Shankly Gates. The eternal flame. The Liver Birds on the gates. Six European Cups in the museum. That is why a visit to Anfield feels different from an ordinary football match.
02 · The Nickname
Why is the Kop So Famous?
The Spion Kop, built in 1906, is one of the most famous single stands in world football. Named after a hill where a Lancashire regiment suffered heavy losses during the Boer War, it became the template for steep, single-tier home ends across Britain - a wall of noise behind the goal.
When You'll Never Walk Alone - adopted from the Rodgers and Hammerstein show tune via Gerry and the Pacemakers - spread from the Kop in the 1960s, it became the club's anthem and one of the most recognisable traditions in football. On the biggest nights, the entire stadium joins in, and the pre-match rendition at Anfield is something every football supporter should experience once.
03 · The History
A Brief History of Anfield
Anfield was built in 1884 on land off Walton Breck Road and was first occupied by Everton Football Club. In 1892, following a lease dispute between Everton's board and the ground's owner, John Houlding, Everton left to build Goodison Park - and Houlding founded a brand new club to play at Anfield: Liverpool Football Club. The rivalry that split Merseyside football in two had begun, and both clubs have defined the city ever since.
The ground grew with the club. The famous Kop terrace rose in 1906, and Anfield hosted some of the biggest occasions in English and European football across the twentieth century. The modern era has seen two huge expansions - the rebuilt Main Stand in 2016 and the expanded Anfield Road Stand completed in 2023 and 2024 - which together have pushed capacity past 61,000 while keeping the character of the original four-stand layout.
The Shankly Gates
The Shankly Gates, erected in 1982 to honour legendary manager Bill Shankly, carry the inscription "You'll Never Walk Alone" beneath a curved steel lintel decorated with Liver Birds and Scottish thistles. The gates were relocated to the entrance of the Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand in 2016 and remain the most photographed landmark outside the ground.
The Hillsborough Memorial
Anfield is a place of remembrance as well as celebration. The Hillsborough Memorial, beside the Shankly Gates, carries an eternal flame honouring the 97 supporters who lost their lives in the 1989 Hillsborough disaster. Visiting supporters are welcome to pay their respects, and many do - it is one of the reasons Anfield means so much, to home and visiting fans alike.
04 · The Stands
The Anfield Stands Explained
Understanding the different stands can make a real difference when planning a first visit. Anfield has kept its traditional four-stand character through the modern expansions, and each side offers a slightly different experience.
1The Spion Kop
Around 12,400 seatsThe Kop is the spiritual home of Liverpool Football Club - the single-tiered home end behind the south goal, rebuilt as an all-seater stand in the 1990s but still engineered for noise. The steep seating deck keeps supporters stacked almost on top of the pitch, which is why the sound from the Kop rolls across the whole stadium.
You'll Never Walk Alone starts here before the biggest matches. Flags, scarves raised above heads, and a wall of red. For visiting supporters and first-time visitors, the Kop is the part of Anfield that lives up to every story you have heard.
The View
Steep, close and relentless - as close to the traditional standing Kop as the all-seater era allows.
2Main Stand
Around 20,500 seatsThe Main Stand, rebuilt and reopened in 2016, is one of the largest single stands in European football. Its three tiers rise above the Anfield Road side of the stadium, with a huge cantilevered roof overhang, the team dressing rooms, the media facilities and the executive suites all housed within.
For supporters who enjoy the modern matchday experience with premium facilities, this side of the ground offers the most comfortable seats in the stadium - and it is where many hospitality experiences are based.
The View
The upper tiers of the Main Stand give one of the great panoramic views in English football - the whole pitch, the Kop opposite and the city skyline behind it.
3Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand
Around 11,000 seatsThe Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand, formerly the Centenary Stand, sits along the eastern side of the ground. It was renamed after the man who won everything as a Liverpool player and manager - and who, alongside the Hillsborough families, came to represent the very best of the club.
The Shankly Gates now stand at the entrance to this stand, making the approach from the stadium concourse one of the most historic parts of Anfield.
The View
A two-tier view along the touchline, close to the dugouts and the technical areas on this side of the pitch.
4Anfield Road Stand
Around 16,000 seatsThe Anfield Road Stand, expanded and completed across 2023 and 2024, is the huge end stand behind the north goal. Its expanded two-tier structure lifted the stadium capacity past 61,000 - a remarkable feat on a site hemmed in by terraced streets.
The lower tier houses visiting supporters in designated sections on fixtures requiring an away allocation.
The View
A full end-stand experience behind the goal, with the new upper tier adding scale and noise to the north end of the ground.
Where Do Away Fans Sit at Anfield?
Away supporters are generally located in the lower tier of the Anfield Road Stand, in designated segregated sections. The exact allocation can vary depending on the competition and the fixture, and visiting supporters use designated entrances and segregated concourse areas.
If you are attending as a Liverpool home supporter, it is important not to wear opposing team colours in home areas. Always follow the instructions supplied with your individual booking.
What is the Atmosphere Like at Anfield?
Anfield on a big European night is one of the most famous matchday atmospheres in world football - and even a standard Premier League afternoon carries more noise than most grounds. The Kop sets the tone, the anthem rolls around the stadium and the noise holds when the team needs it.
The experience starts long before kick-off. The streets around the ground fill with supporters, the pubs around Anfield Road get busy, the songs start outside and the crowd builds steadily towards the walk down to the stadium. Arriving early is a big part of enjoying it.
What Time Should I Arrive at Anfield?
For a first visit, allow more time than you think you need. Anfield sits in a dense residential neighbourhood, so the approach streets get busy, and security screening creates queues as the stadium fills.
Arriving around 90 minutes to two hours before kick-off gives you time to see the Shankly Gates and the Hillsborough Memorial, find your correct entrance, pass through security and take in the pre-match build-up. Hospitality experiences can have different arrival arrangements, so always follow the itinerary provided for your individual SEESPORTS package.
05 · Getting There
Getting to Anfield
Anfield is located roughly two miles north of Liverpool city centre in a dense residential neighbourhood. Matchday congestion around the ground means it is worth planning your journey in advance, and for most visitors staying in the city, public transport is the simplest option.
Sandhills Station and the Soccerbus
Sandhills, on the Merseyrail Northern Line, is the primary rail connection for Anfield. On matchdays a dedicated shuttle bus service - the Soccerbus - runs between the station and the stadium, and the walk is around 20 minutes if you prefer to go on foot with the crowd.
Kirkdale Station
Kirkdale, also on the Northern Line, sits around 20 minutes north-west of the stadium and can be a useful alternative when the Sandhills route is at its busiest.
Express Bus Routes 17, 26 and 27
Express bus routes run frequently from Liverpool Lime Street Station and Liverpool ONE Bus Station towards the stadium perimeter - one of the easiest ways to make the journey from the city centre.
Walking from the City Centre
The walk from central Liverpool to Anfield takes around 40 to 45 minutes and passes through the traditional matchday landscape of pubs, chip shops and red-brick terraces. Many supporters make the journey part of the day.
Can You Drive to Anfield?
Anfield sits in the middle of a residential neighbourhood with very limited matchday parking, and the surrounding streets operate event-day restrictions. Most supporters staying in Liverpool find the train to Sandhills or the express bus routes far easier than driving. One of the advantages of booking a full football break is that your hotel becomes your base for the weekend rather than trying to organise the trip around parking near the stadium.
Travelling from Northern Ireland or Ireland
SEESPORTS is based in Northern Ireland and builds match breaks for supporters travelling from across Northern Ireland and Ireland. Liverpool is one of the easiest away cities to reach - our [[ferry travel information|/ferry-travel]] covers the routes that work well for Merseyside football weekends, and a ticket and hotel package keeps the whole trip - travel, accommodation and the match - in one booking.
06 · Matchday Rules
Anfield Bag Policy and Stadium Rules
Bag Policy
Anfield operates stadium security screening on matchdays, and large bags are generally not permitted. The simplest advice is: travel light. Leave luggage at your hotel and take only what you genuinely need for the match.
Stadium policies can change from season to season, so always check Liverpool's latest official guidance shortly before travelling. All bags may be subject to search on entry.
What Can You Take Into Anfield?
Small personal items are generally acceptable, but larger bags, glass containers, cans, alcohol, flares, fireworks, air horns and potentially dangerous items are prohibited. There can also be specific rules regarding banners and flags.
Security guidance can change, so always check the latest stadium information before matchday and follow the instructions supplied with your booking.
07 · Tickets & Packages
Choose Your Liverpool Experience with SEESPORTS
Liverpool home matches - particularly Premier League fixtures against the big rivals and European nights - can be extremely popular. For travelling supporters, that means the ticket should be viewed as one part of the overall trip rather than something to organise separately at the last minute. SEESPORTS specialises in complete football travel experiences, with official match tickets, hotel accommodation, guaranteed seats together and Kick-off Cover included as standard in every package.
The Premier Club is Liverpool's premium hospitality experience at Anfield - quality dining, comfortable seating and a matchday that feels like an occasion from the moment you arrive. It is the standout choice for celebrations, corporate guests and supporters who want the biggest Liverpool fixtures wrapped in genuine hospitality.
Best suited to: Premium matchdays, special occasions, corporate guests and supporters who want the full Anfield occasion.
View Liverpool - Premier Club PackagesThe Brodies Sports Bar experience keeps the matchday lively and social - a proper sports bar build-up before heading to your seats. It suits groups of friends, families and supporters who enjoy the pre-match atmosphere almost as much as the match itself.
Best suited to: Groups, sociable football weekends and supporters who enjoy a lively pre-match environment.
View Liverpool - Brodies Sports Bar PackagesThe Sandon Complex is woven into the history of Liverpool Football Club - the famous pub and venue complex in the streets beside the stadium where the club was founded in 1892. A matchday built around the Sandon puts you in the traditional heart of the Anfield matchday before walking to the ground with the crowd.
Best suited to: Supporters who want the traditional Anfield matchday experience and a football-first weekend.
View Liverpool - Sandon Complex PackagesWhich Liverpool Package Should I Choose?
What is Included as Standard?
Every SEESPORTS football package is built around the complete trip. Official match tickets, hotel accommodation, guaranteed seats together and Kick-off Cover all come as standard, brought together with the reassurance of booking through a specialist sports tour operator.
A football weekend can involve more than simply getting through the turnstile. There is accommodation, fixture scheduling, travel planning, stadium entry and support before departure. That is why SEESPORTS focuses on complete sports travel experiences.
Are Liverpool Tickets Digital?
Liverpool use digital ticketing for Anfield matches. Supporters normally access their ticket through a compatible smartphone and present the device at the stadium entrance.
The practical advice is simple: make sure your ticket is available before leaving your hotel, ensure your phone is charged, avoid leaving ticket setup until you are standing outside the stadium and follow the instructions supplied with your booking. Mobile networks can become extremely busy around Anfield, and a portable power bank can be very useful.
08 · Outside the Ground
What is There to See Outside Anfield?
One of the biggest mistakes first-time visitors make is walking directly from the bus stop to the turnstile. Anfield has some of the most important monuments in English football outside its gates, and it is worth allowing time to see them.
The Shankly Gates
The Shankly Gates, with their curved steel lintel, Liver Birds, Scottish thistles and the words "You'll Never Walk Alone", stand at the entrance of the Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand. They honour Bill Shankly, the manager who rebuilt Liverpool into one of the biggest clubs in world football. The gates are the essential photograph of any first visit.
The Hillsborough Memorial and Eternal Flame
Beside the gates stands the Hillsborough Memorial, bearing the names of the 97 supporters who lost their lives in the 1989 disaster, with an eternal flame burning above them. The memorial is maintained by the club and visited by supporters of every club. Many visiting fans pay their respects before the match - it is a quiet, dignified part of the Anfield matchday.
The This Is Anfield Sign and LFC Museum
Inside the stadium, the famous This Is Anfield sign in the players' tunnel is one of the most iconic images in English football. The LFC Museum tells the story of the club - including the six European Cups, the domestic honours and the legendary managers and players who delivered them.
Stadium tours allow supporters to see the tunnel, the dressing rooms, the dugout and the museum. Tours do not usually operate in the normal format on Liverpool home matchdays, which makes a two-night trip work particularly well - the match one day and the museum and tour on another.
09 · The Local Area
Accessibility, Food and Drink and the Local Area
Accessibility at Anfield
Anfield provides a range of accessibility facilities, including accessible seating, adapted entrances, accessible toilets, lifts and dedicated services for supporters requiring additional assistance.
If you are booking a SEESPORTS package and have accessibility requirements, it is important to let the team know as early as possible. The earlier those requirements are understood, the easier it is to make sure the booking is suitable.
Food and Drink at Anfield
Food and drink outlets are available throughout the concourses, with traditional matchday fare part of the experience. Hospitality experiences such as the Premier Club offer a different style of matchday dining.
The pubs and venues around the stadium - including the historic Sandon Complex, where Liverpool Football Club was founded - are a huge part of the Anfield matchday. If visiting for the first time, arriving early gives you much more chance to enjoy the atmosphere without spending the pre-match queuing.
Liverpool City Centre and the Waterfront
Anfield is around two miles north of the city centre, which makes central Liverpool the natural base for a football weekend. The city offers the UNESCO-recognised waterfront, the Albert Dock, the Beatles Quarter, two cathedrals and a restaurant and nightlife scene that punches well above its weight.
Merseyside is also a two-club city. Everton now play at the new Hill Dickinson Stadium on the docks - our Hill Dickinson Stadium guide covers the ground, the stands and how to get there - so supporters planning a football-focused city break have two great stadiums within a few miles of each other.
10 · Where to Stay
Where Should You Stay for a Liverpool Match?
There is no single best place to stay for every visitor. The right location depends on the type of weekend you want - and that is why SEESPORTS looks at accommodation as part of the overall experience rather than simply choosing the nearest hotel on a map.
Staying in Liverpool City Centre
For most visitors, central Liverpool is the best all-round base. The city centre offers the widest selection of restaurants, bars and nightlife, and Anfield remains easily accessible by train, bus or taxi. This can be particularly attractive for supporters making a full weekend of the trip.
Staying Around the Waterfront
The regenerated docks around the Albert Dock and the echo of the new stadium at Bramley-Moore make the waterfront a great base - atmospheric, well connected and full of places to eat and drink.
Staying Near Anfield
Staying close to the stadium can make matchday logistics extremely straightforward, though the immediate area around the ground is largely residential with a more limited choice of hotels than the city centre.
11 · Matchday Checklist
First Time at Anfield? Matchday Checklist
If this is your first Liverpool home match, this simple checklist can make the day much easier.
Before Leaving Your Hotel
- Charge your phone
- Make sure your match ticket is accessible
- Confirm the latest kick-off time
- Check current stadium security guidance
- Leave unnecessary luggage behind
- Plan your route to Anfield
- Allow plenty of time
Before Kick-Off
- Arrive early
- See the Shankly Gates
- Pay your respects at the Hillsborough Memorial
- Find your entrance before queues build
- Complete security with plenty of time
- Take in You'll Never Walk Alone
After Full-Time
- Expect large crowds
- Expect queues for the Soccerbus at Sandhills
- Avoid booking an unrealistic onward connection
- Give yourself time
- Remember that tens of thousands of supporters are leaving at the same time
If you are staying overnight, there is no need to treat the final whistle as a race back to your hotel. Enjoy Liverpool.
12 · Fixture Changes
What Happens if a Liverpool Fixture Changes?
This is one of the most important things for travelling football supporters to understand. A fixture appearing on the schedule is not always the final confirmed travel time. Liverpool matches can move because of television selections, domestic cup competitions, European football, policing requirements or other operational reasons. That can create problems when travel arrangements have been booked independently.
SEESPORTS includes Kick-off Cover on applicable football packages, designed to provide additional protection around qualifying fixture changes. Always check the specific terms relating to your booking.
13 · Booking with SEESPORTS
Why Book Liverpool with SEESPORTS?
Watching Liverpool at Anfield should be exciting. Planning the trip should not become the difficult part. SEESPORTS helps supporters bring the important elements together. Every package includes official match tickets, hotel accommodation, guaranteed seats together and Kick-off Cover as standard, with additional benefits depending on the package selected.
SEESPORTS also gives supporters a choice. You are not restricted to one generic Liverpool package. You can choose between the Liverpool - Premier Club, Liverpool - Brodies Sports Bar and Liverpool - Sandon Complex experiences - so you can choose the type of football weekend that suits you. Premium hospitality. A lively social build-up. Or the traditional Anfield matchday.
14 · The Verdict
Is Anfield Worth Visiting?
For a football supporter, yes. Even if Liverpool is not your club, Anfield is one of the defining stadiums of English and European football - the Kop, the anthem, the European nights and the history that fills the museum.
For Liverpool supporters, however, the visit usually means much more. The walk up to the ground. The Shankly Gates. The first sight of the Kop. The moment the anthem starts. Those are the moments you remember.
Reading about Anfield is one thing. Walking through the turnstile is another. SEESPORTS makes Liverpool football travel easier by bringing the key elements of your trip together. Your passion; our goal.
Ready to Experience Anfield?
Official match tickets. Hotel accommodation. Guaranteed seats together. Kick-off Cover.
Don't just SEE IT. EXPERIENCE IT LIVE.
Explore Liverpool Match Breaks15 · FAQs
Anfield Frequently Asked Questions
Information is correct at the time of publishing. We endeavour to maintain up-to-date information, but information can change and vary.
16 · More Stadium Guides