Arsenal’s two homes stand only a few streets apart, but the walk between them crosses more than a century of football history. A first match at the Emirates deserves to begin well before the turnstiles.
The Emirates is difficult to miss. Its glass, steel and huge red-and-white exterior dominate this corner of Islington. Highbury is different. The old ground has been folded into the neighbourhood so neatly that somebody unfamiliar with Avenell Road could pass its Art Deco frontage without realising what happened behind it.
That contrast makes an Arsenal matchday unusual. The journey offers a compact history of the club, from Herbert Chapman’s marble halls to Mikel Arteta’s champions, before a ball has been kicked.
Choose the Occasion Before You Choose the Seat
A first visit often begins with an available weekend rather than a particular opponent. Arsenal’s official route requires eligible members to enter the relevant ballot and await the result. That uncertainty can complicate trains and accommodation, particularly when several people are travelling together.
Anyone planning a first trip to the Emirates will find Arsenal tickets through Hellotickets easier to compare than the club ballot suggests. Hellotickets is an online booking service for sporting events and visitor attractions around the world. Arsenal’s 2026/27 fixtures can be filtered by date, opponent and home or away status. Individual matches display the available areas of the ground alongside starting and average prices, allowing each one to be considered as a distinct occasion.
Once the date is fixed, there is time to plan the walk that gives the visit its character. Arsenal’s former home waits close to the stadium that replaced it.
Highbury Still Hides in Plain Sight
Arsenal moved to Highbury in 1913 and remained there for 93 years. The ground became Highbury Square after the final match in 2006, with apartments built around the outline of the pitch. Its most handsome survivor faces Avenell Road: the Grade II-listed East Stand, opened in 1936 and designed to sit comfortably among the surrounding Victorian houses.
Behind that façade were the Marble Halls, where generations of players and managers entered on matchday. The famous entrance now belongs to a residential development, so the pleasure lies in seeing what remains from the street rather than expecting access to the former pitch.
From there, the Emirates is less than a mile away. Walking between the grounds makes the scale of Arsenal’s decision visible. Highbury feels intimate and enclosed by its neighbourhood. The newer arena rises above railway lines and main roads, built for crowds the old terraces could never accommodate.
The Emirates Has Finally Made Its Own History
For years, the Emirates carried an awkward burden. It was the impressive new home that Arsenal had built to compete with Europe’s richest clubs, although the greatest domestic memories still belonged to Highbury. The comparison softened in May 2026 when Arsenal ended their 22-year wait for the Premier League title after three consecutive second-place finishes.
That championship was the club’s first since leaving Highbury. The Emirates had witnessed excellent teams and famous European nights, but this was the achievement that gave the ground a defining chapter of its own.
The exterior now carries some of that confidence. Eight large artworks installed in 2023 celebrate Arsenal’s supporters and north London identity. Nearby statues honour Herbert Chapman, Dennis Bergkamp, Tony Adams, Thierry Henry and Arsène Wenger. A circuit of the stadium reveals how carefully the club has tried to place old names around a modern bowl.
The Television Show Starts Before Kick-Off
Entering early brings an aspect of Premier League football that television usually conceals. Camera operators test their angles, presenters rehearse links and substitutes wander out to inspect the turf. Soon the warm-ups begin and the empty green space becomes a workplace.
Depending on the fixture and rights holder, Gary Neville or Jamie Carragher may be delivering an early verdict beside the pitch. Arsenal figures including Ian Wright and David Seaman remain familiar faces across football coverage, as does former Gunner Karen Carney. She played for the club from 2006 to 2009 before becoming one of the country’s best-known pundits.
The view is rewarding from more than the front rows. From the upper tier, you can watch the broadcast crew work around the ground staff as both teams follow separate routines below. By the time the players return to the tunnel, the stadium has filled almost without anyone noticing.
Save the Clever Route for After Full Time
The nearest station is not always the most useful one. Arsenal station attracts the obvious rush, and Holloway Road can close for up to two hours after a match. Club travel guidance points supporters towards Finsbury Park and Highbury & Islington as alternatives, depending on their onward journey.
There is a more memorable option for anyone without a train to catch immediately. Walk south towards Highbury after the final whistle, let the crowd disperse and see the old East Stand under the streetlights. The route ends where Arsenal’s modern story began, with the noise of the Emirates fading behind the houses.
