London's Summer of Sport

London’s Summer of Sport

London is one of the world’s greatest sporting cities. It boasts a wealth of iconic stadiums, historic teams and world-class facilities. No other city has hosted more modern Summer Olympic Games or UEFA European Cup/Champions League finals.

While at LSE Summer School, you have an incredible opportunity to attend a range of brilliant sporting events. So whether you are a football fanatic, obsessed with cricket, or want to enjoy strawberries and cream while watching the tennis at Wimbledon, there is bound to be some sporting action for you in London this summer. 

London is home to seven Premier League clubs in the 2022/23 season, and there are many more teams in the leagues below. And while the summer tends to be off-season, there are still opportunities to attend a match.

The Premier League season kicks off on the weekend of 12-13 August 2023 and the EFL Championship and lower leagues typically start the week before, giving additional chances to experience the thrill of English football. There is also the Community Shield on 29 July 2023 – a game between the winners of the league and the FA Cup at Wembley - so you are guaranteed to see the best teams in the country play.

Clubs will also be hosting friendlies throughout the summer as they prepare for the new season. Look out for the Emirates Cup – a regular tournament hosted by Arsenal that features top clubs from across Europe.

If you love the beautiful game but can’t attend a match while at Summer School, check out one of the stadium tours - all the big clubs offer them.

Top tip: There are many incredible stadiums in London– Wembley, the Emirates, Stamford Bridge – but for something truly unique check out Fulham's Craven Cottage, a quirky and historic stadium that sits on the banks of the Thames in west London.

The Wimbledon Championships is the oldest and greatest tennis tournament in the world. Running 3-16 July 2023, the tournament is guaranteed to feature the world’s top players, and if you go in the early rounds, you have the chance to see them up close on the smaller courts. Wimbledon is something of a throw-back, being the only Grand Slam still to be played on grass and the players must adhere to an all-white dress code (fortunately this doesn’t also apply to spectators!).

Beyond the tennis itself, Wimbledon is a cultural experience. Make sure to soak up the atmosphere, enjoy strawberries and cream, and wash it down with a glass of Pimms - an alcoholic fruit punch.

Finally, a word on how to attend. While some advance tickets are available, the best way to see the action is to join “The Queue” in the morning – is there anything more British? There is lots of information available online that will help you understand how this works and when to start queueing. It’s a surprisingly fun experience, as everyone is excited about the day ahead, creating a convivial atmosphere.

Can't attend Wimbledon? Check out the Queen's Club Championships running 19-25 June. This is a smaller tournament that acts as a precursor to Wimbledon for men. Many big names play here as a warm up before the Grand Slam a week later. Queen's Club is just 30 minutes away from LSE on the Underground via the District Line.

Top tip: It’s worth trying to go to Wimbledon at the end of the day (5pm-6pm) as spectators are leaving after a long day and the queue dissipates. You won't have as much choice in who you see, but as the daylight lasts until the late evening, it’s still a great chance to see a couple of hours of the action.

Summer is the season for cricket and London is home to two of the world's most historic cricket grounds: Lord's - widely regarded as the home of cricket - and The Oval. There are great opportunities to visit both.

The Ashes - a hotly contested test series between England and Australia is taking place in England this summer. It will be the 73rd series in its 139-year history and England will be hoping to win for the first time since 2015. Lord's is hosting the second test from 28 June to 2 July 2023, while the fifth and final test is happening at The Oval from 27-31 July 2023.

If you can’t get tickets to the Ashes – fear not! There are many other matches being played at both grounds throughout the summer in various formats. Check out the websites for both venues to see what is on when.

Top tip: If you are new to cricket but want a taster, check out the T20 Blast tournament. This is a much shorter version of the game that will last around 3hrs, typically played in the evening and has an atmosphere akin to a baseball game.

International rugby is rarely played in the northern hemisphere summer, but in 2023 you are in luck. England are playing Wales at Twickenham Stadium on 12 August 2023. The game is the second of a double header as the two teams prepare for the World Cup, which starts in France in September.

The F1 British Grand Prix is set to take place at Silverstone on Sunday 9 July 2023. The race is the oldest F1 Grand Prix and has been a part of the calendar since its inception in 1950. While Silverstone is not actually in London, there are transport links from London to the circuit.

An interesting and more eco-friendly alternative is the London Grand Prix of the Formula E World Championships (29-30 July 2023). This features cars similar to F1, but they are 100% electric. The circuit is in east London around the ExCel exhibition centre, making it very easy to attend.

If motorbikes are more your thing, Silverstone will also be hosting the MotoGP championship on 6 August.

Top tip: Be aware that tickets to the F1 can be very expensive. Cheaper tickets might be available for qualifying the day before.

Royal Ascot (20-24 June 2023) has been a fixture of the British social calendar since its founding by Queen Anne in 1711, and it certainly lives up to its motto “like nowhere else”. This five-day horseracing meeting can feel more like a royal wedding that a sporting event. Nowhere else is there such pomp and pageantry!

Ladies are encouraged to dress in formal attire, and must always wear either a hat or fascinator (Google it!), whilst gentlemen are expected to wear a suit and tie, but may also require a top hat depending on which enclosure they are in.

It may seem like an elite event, but more than 600,000 people attend over five days - with tickets starting at £29.00, it is not as exclusive as it may appear. It’s a fantastic opportunity to dress up, place a bet, appreciate some incredible fashion, spot a royal or two (King Charles will open the event), enjoy a glass of bubbles… oh and see some of the fastest horses from the UK, Ireland and beyond. This is still a sport event after all!

Top tip: Did we mention the dress code?!

Yes, baseball! Major League Baseball comes to London this summer. The St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs face off in a two-game series on 24-25 June. The game is being played at the London Stadium, host of the 2012 Olympics and currently home to West Ham United.

Rather be playing sport than watching it? There are lots of great opportunities to get active while at LSE Summer School. The Running Club gives you a chance to jog from the LSE campus round some of the amazing landmarks in central London. There are also organised games of basketball, volleyball, badminton and football, and yoga classes in the LSE gym.

Beyond LSE, you could channel the spirit of London 2012 by BMXing at the Olympic Park or white water rafting in the Lea Valley White Water Centre. Run the London Marathon route. Play table tennis in the park. Cycle the Thames Path. Skateboard on the Southbank…. the options are endless!