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Craven Cottage | Capacity, Location & Training Ground Updates

Craven Cottage

London

Craven Cottage

Fulham are one of the oldest English clubs to be actively participating in the Premier League and they have punched above their weight to keep fighting in the top flight in recent years. The Fulham stadium is Craven Cottage, which has served as their home ground since 1896! Craven Cottage is situated right next to Bishop’s Park in London, which is right near the River Thames in the city.

The Craven Cottage stadium has earned its reputation for its unique design and how it stands apart from the other Premier League teams’ stadium. Fans are often seated very close to the pitch, giving them a first-hand experience of the action. The Fulham stadium has also been used to host Rugby matches and also for international matches, with Craven Cottage also being the former home of Fulham’s rugby team as well.

Fulham F.C. Stadium at Craven Cottage

Craven Cottage is actually one of the smallest stadiums in the Premier League because of its low capacity levels. The Craven Cottage capacity is only around 29,600 and the club recorded the fourth-lowest average attendance for all Premier League clubs in the 2024/25 season. The Craven Cottage Stadium has been the home of Fulham FC since 1896, but its history actually dates back much earlier than that.

Craven Cottage was actually originally built way back in 1780 by English nobleman Willian Craven. The Fulham stadium’s location was originally close to where the Johnny Haynes stand currently resides, and it was actually partly a hunting ground for the then Queen of England, Anne Boleyn.

Craven Cottage served as the house for many prominent personalities before Fulham made it their home stadium. The London club’s representatives initially earmarked the land in 1894, but needed two years to make the ground suitable for football. The first match at Craven Cottage took place between Fulham and Minerva in the Middlesex Senior Cup, way back on 10 October 1896. It was famous Scottish architect Archibald Leitch who was assigned to build the Stevenage Road Stand and the pavilion of the stadium in 1905 after authorities threatened to destroy it because of the lack of safety. The highest attendance that stretched the Craven Cottage capacity was 49,335, which was in a match between Fulham and Millwall.

It was only in 1962 that floodlights were erected in Craven Cottage, making Fulham the final side in the top division to do so. Craven Cottage was also one of the last stadiums to become an all-seater stadium, which was finalized in 2004. The Craven Cottage capacity was amped up to currently hold just over 29,500 fans after the Fulham owner Shahid Khan helped work begin in 2019. There are plans for expansion on the Fulham FC stadium to give it a state-of-the-art makeover.

Craven Cottage Capacity, Design & Facilities

The Craven Cottage stadium might be among the smallest stadiums in the Premier League, but the layout of Craven Cottage has been maintained pretty well to provide a smooth experience for the fans. The stadium is surrounded by four distinct stands, with three stands having roofs to protect the supporters. There are three double-tier stands in the stadium, with only the Putney End being a single-tier one for supporters. The Fulham FC stadium is also distinct for its open tunnel, with players not really having much protection above them when having to step onto the field of play through a relatively small tunnel, much smaller than the ones normally seen in Premier League stadiums.

The Fulham FC stadium has four major stands, with the largest stand at Craven Cottage being the Hammersmith End, which has 7,300 seats and 40 wheelchair spots for fans to get a clear view from behind the left-hand goal. The Riverside Stand at the Craven Cottage Stadium holds 6,742 seated fans and 32 wheelchair areas, being the second biggest one at the stadium.

The Craven Cottage Stadium also allocates the away team's supporters at the Putney End, which currently has 5,926 seats and 32 wheelchair spaces available. The smallest stand at the Fulham FC stadium is the Johnny Haynes stand, one of the oldest one in the stadium, which has 5,832 seats and 28 wheelchair areas available.

The Fulham Tickets to watch matches at the Craven Cottage stadium can vary according to different matches or circumstances. The Fulham tickets for a season ticket meant for an adult fan can cost anything from about £455 (cheapest) in the higher stands to £985 for the best seats for fans renewing their season tickets. The Fulham tickets for a new season ticket holder (adult) can cost in the £595-£1235 range. The season tickets for seniors for new tickets can range from £515-1075, and the same for youths (teenagers).

For children, new Fulham FC tickets for season tickets cost £230-510, while renewals cost £150-£385 (child) or £390-£855 for seniors or youth. The Fulham tickets also include matchday tickets, which can be £28-£77 for standard seats for adults and a discounted price for seniors or children. Tickets can be bought from Fulham's box office at Craven Cottage or websites like TicketCompare or SeatPick.

The Fulham stadium tour is also available for fans wanting to explore Craven Cottage on non-matchdays. The Fulham stadium tour will allow fans to visit the home dressing room, press box, the infamous tunnel, pitchside, as well as the balcony. The Fulham stadium tour can cost £28-£30 for adults, £23-£25 for juniors (age 5-16), and £25-£28 for seniors (above 65).

Fulham Stadium Turf

The Craven Cottage stadium boasts an average field size of 100 by 65 meters, which is the necessary alignment to host Premier League matches. However, the Fulham stadium currently boasts a fiber-elastic grass turf. This is a special kind of natural grass turf that has been opted for by the Fulham hierarchy to help prevent injuries regularly taking place at Craven Cottage.

Moreover, the Fibreelastic turf is tough enough to be able to host high-quality matches throughout the year and is stable enough to allow players to move the ball around efficiently without any problems. The Fulham stadium turf is a mix of natural grass and synthetic fibers, which helps increase the durability of the field of play as well as ensuring that players can play as if they are on 100% natural grass.

Craven Cottage Stadium Capacity

The Craven Cottage capacity has changed over the years. During the time when there weren't any bucket seats installed at the Fulham stadium, over 40,000 fans would cram into the stands to spur on their players. However, the Craven Cottage capacity has now been limited to hold about 29,600 supporters, who can all be seated and comfortably enjoy matches at the Craven Cottage Stadium. The away end capacity at the Fulham stadium is around 3,000, with fans being situated at the Putney End Stand.

Fulham Training Ground

The Fulham FC training ground is currently the 49-acre Motspur Park, which is located in New Malden, a suburban region situated in Southwest London. Fulham turned Motspur Park into the Fulham FC training ground in 1999 and it's now operated by over 200 staff members on a daily basis. Motspur Park was actually a sports ground for the University of London back in the 1920s and the Fulham FC training ground is used by not only their Men's senior team, but their academy teams as well as the Women's team.

In 2016, Fulham FC owner Shahid Khan funded the redevelopment programme of the Fulham FC training ground to improve conditions for the players to train. As a result, the previous indoor facility was replaced by a 500-capacity spectator area and a huge car parking space that could hold over 100 cars. It also included a better quality of pitches. Motspur currently has five outdoor pitches, which include one with an under-pitch heating facility. There are two separate areas for goalkeepers' training as well as three ancillary training places.

The Fulham FC training training ground has a main building, which includes multiple gymnasiums for the players to use as well as a medical treatment and physiotherapy room. Facilities such as swimming pools, hydrotherapy, cryotherapy, and jacuzzis are all included, as well as rooms for analysis and coaches to work in.

Fulham Stadium Expansion

The Craven Cottage Stadium is already a spectacle, but the Fulham owners are trying to increase the Craven Cottage Capacity. The Fulham Stadium expansion included the Riverside Development Project, which was completed in 2025. As a result, the Riverside Stand now has 2,300 premium seats available, which include those on balconies, glass-fronted lounges, and layered terraces as well. Fans in the premium seats at the Riverside Stand can also get a beautiful view of the River Thames as well as the London skyline from their seats.

The work on the Riverside Stand has also helped increase the capacity at Craven Cottage from 25,700 to its current 29,600 for seated supporters. There are current plans to further increase the capacity of the stadium to potentially take it above the 30,000 seating capacity in the future as part of the Fulham Stadium Expansion.

There has been a second tier added to this particular stand, which includes restaurants and bars like The Brasserie, The Originals, and the Thames Bar Room. The hospitality packages for supporters on a season ticket basis are priced at £3,000-£20,000, which offers fans the best experience at Craven Cottage that not only includes the best viewing of matches, but also food and drinks services as well. The Fulham stadium expansion has definitely increased the glamor of Craven Cottage, which now boasts one of the most luxurious stands among all Premier League clubs despite being one of the smallest grounds in the top flight.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the name of Fulham’s home stadium?

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Fulham Football Club plays its home matches at Craven Cottage, located in West London on the banks of the River Thames.

What is the seating capacity of Craven Cottage?

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The current capacity is approximately 29,600, with ongoing developments aimed at expanding it further.

What is the Riverside Stand redevelopment project?

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The Riverside Stand is being redeveloped to offer improved seating, hospitality, and modern facilities, enhancing the fan experience while increasing stadium capacity.

Is Craven Cottage accessible by public transport?

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Yes, it is well-connected via London’s public transport, with Putney Bridge and Hammersmith stations nearby.

Are stadium tours available at Craven Cottage?

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Yes, Fulham offers guided stadium tours that allow fans to explore the stands, dressing rooms, and behind-the-scenes areas.

Why is it called Craven Cottage?

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The stadium is named after a royal hunting lodge—called Craven Cottage—that originally stood on the site before the ground was built.