Learning to love football in London

Whether you call it soccer or football, fans of the sport can agree that some of the highest level of play in the world happens on the fields (or pitches) of London. But going to see a live match isn’t just for soccer fanatics; it’s an ideal way to pop into the city’s culture when you’re looking for things to do in London with locals.

Whether you’re catching a match featuring Arsenal, Chelsea, or the Spurs, we do recommend a few tips when you’re headed to your first Premier League game.

1. First, wear neutral colors, unless you’re certain that your seats are in the home team section and you want to wear those colors. Finding yourself in the wrong colors and in the wrong section can make for a very uncomfortable experience.
2. Second, make a day of it, heading to pubs near the stadium before the game begins to chat with fans, and arriving early to watch the teams warm up on the field.
3. Third, tickets can be more challenging to get than you might expect, offered to members of the team’s club first and then to the general public after that. Always be careful to check out ticket sellers to ensure they aren’t scammers.
4. And finally, understand that the teams that make up the Premier League can shift. Bad teams can be moved down to lower leagues, called relegation, and good teams can move up, which makes for a dynamic league with new underdogs and Cinderella stories every year.

Whether you fix to see a match with one of the League’s ever-present titans, like Chelsea, Arsenal, or Tottenham, or want to catch a David and Goliath match-up, there are plenty of opportunities to see world class football action at London’s best stadiums. Here’s our breakdown of the town’s best teams, where they play, and how to get in on the action.

Arsenal

Founded in 1886, The Gunners, as they’re nicknamed, haven’t been relegated in over 100 years, so you can count on them to be at the head of the pack in any given season, and they’ve won the third most Premier League Championships, after Manchester City and Liverpool. Join 60,000 fans at Emirates Stadium with the help of Travel Connection and see the boys in red take on opposing teams from all over England.

If you’re visit doesn’t coincide with a home game, you can still take a look inside the colossal stadium on a guided tour with The Arsenal Football Club. Take a behind-the-scenes look at the player’s changing rooms, step into the press box to see where excited announcers yell ‘Goal!’ to worldwide fans, and pass through the player’s tunnel to check out the field up close. Along the way, enjoy colorful commentary from your experienced guide and take a look at Arsenal legends past and present with a visit at the onsite museum.

Chelsea

Though its history has been bumpy, the last few decades have seen unprecedented success for the Chelsea club. Under the watchful eye and heavy wallet of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, they’ve managed to make their mark on the Premier League and beyond with local and international championships. Make it to a match with tickets from Travel Connection and you can soak up the team’s history, taking a seat in the same stadium—Stamford Bridge—they’ve used since their founding in 1905.

Fulham

As the oldest team in London to have ever played in the Premier League, Fulham’s lack of titles and recent relegation make it seem like the club is cursed. But all that drama only means there’s more to cheer for as you head to Craven Cottage to watch this historic team take the field. Grab tickets straight from Fulham Football Club and join The Whites as they embark on a quest to return to the Premier League and continue searching for an elusive championship.