The Anfield Stadium Tour

I became a Liverpool supporter in 2001 when I first visited the city but I never actually got to watch a match. It was my dream for years to travel back to Liverpool and to not only watch a match at Anfield, but to also do the stadium tour. I finally got the chance to return to Liverpool in 2015 and ever since then I’ve been lucky enough to watch over 30 home and away games. I’ve also done the stadium tour about a half a dozen times so I thought I would share my own insights.

By the way, all of the photos in this post will look different due to using different cameras during various tours over the years.

The New Anfield Stadium Tour

The stadium tour has really evolved over the years and it has even changed within the past two years since the new Main Stain was built. My first stadium tour included the old Main Stand and I have to admit that I was absolutely shocked when I saw how outdated the players changing rooms were. I knew that the club was due to upgrade this stand but I didn’t realize how much the upgrades were needed until I saw the stadium myself. The new Main Stand built two years ago is absolutely stunning with the modern facilities you would expect from one of the most followed football clubs in the world.

When you arrive at the stadium for the tour you will want to check into the area with a sign that shows “Stadium Tour.” This is located outside of the Main Stand close to the Kop. You’ll see the Anfield Retail store just across from where the Stadium Tour check in is located. If you’ve pre-booked your tour (more on that below) you can check in and receive further instructions. Most people book the self-guided tour with access to the museum so that is what I will cover in this post.

When you check in you’ll receive a device (pictured below) which provides a step-by-step guide throughout different parts of the stadium tour. There will be stadium staff members throughout each of these steps during your tour, who can answer any questions and guide you in the right direction.

The tour starts by bringing you up the multiple escalators of the Main Stand. The multiple escalators you’ll have to go up provides perspective into how big the new stand really is. Also, there are lots of great banners to check out on the wall on your way up the escalators.

Once you get to the top level you’ll be taken to the area where supporters will congregate and order food on match day before kick-off and at half-time. The new Main Stand is beautiful so just soak it all in! There are plenty of photo opportunities here and there is also much to listen to on the self-guided device. Next you’ll be taken to the upper level of the Main Stand where you’ll have a view of the entire pitch and even a view of parts of the city!

If it’s busy during your tour then you’ll only have about 10 minutes to in the upper level of the Main Stand so make sure to get your photos like the one I have above! The Anfield staff will start ushering you to go downstairs next (or take the elevator) to the lower level of the Main Stand. You’ll come across the area where the families and close friends of the players will eat and hang out prior to the match. All of the seats have the names of legends on the back and apparently the numbers are the amount of international caps each player has had for their national country. Go figure! In the photo below I’m actually sitting in Ian Rush’s seat.

My favorite part of the tour is next with the press room and the player’s changing room. The changing room looks very swanky and it’s a must-see. Check out my notes further down on this blog post as to when to book the tour as there are certain days when the changing room is unavailable.

After you visit the press room and players changing rooms you’ll finally get to walk out on the pitch. Of course you’ll have to touch the famous This is Anfield sign first.

Once you get out to the pitch you’ll have plenty of more photo opportunities. You can stand at the bottom of the Main Stand and take photos of the Kop, the King Kenny Stand, and Anfield Road. Then you will walk over to the Kop and take photos of the King Kenny Stand, Anfield Road, and the new Main Stand. Once you actually stand in the Kop you’ll be able to see how gigantic the new Main stand is!

The Anfield Museum

You’ll end the Stadium Tour with a visit to the Anfield Museum which is included in the price. At the minimum I recommend planning an hour to visit the stadium and an hour to visit the museum. If you are the type of person who enjoys reading and listening to all available information then I would plan for an extra half hour for both the stadium tour and the museum visit. The museum includes the Steven Gerrard collection and information about all of the Liverpool legends and the history of the club. It’s a must-see so plan to make sure you have enough time to visit the museum!

The Shankly Statue

All stadium tours used to start at the Shankly Statue but ever since the new Main Stand was complete Liverpool changed this. The Shankly Statue actually isn’t included in the tour at all but you’ll have the chance to visit the statue before or after your tour starts. The statue is located just outside of the Kop and close to where the entrance is for the Anfield Stadium Tours. You can also visit the statue on match day but keep in mind that it will be crowded.

How To Book The Tour

The last two times I did the Anfield stadium tour I booked through the the Shankly Experience which is operated by the Shankly Hotel in Liverpool. The Shankly Experience offers bookings for the Anfield Stadium tour, the Bill Shankly themed tour, the Liverpool City Tour, and the Beatles Tour. I highly recommend booking tours through the Shankly Experience as they will take care of everything for you including the tickets and transportation to the stadium. Their customer service is amazing and the hotel is managed by Bill Shankly’s grandchildren. You can check out the tours they offer at theshanklyexperience.com and email Ashely at ashley.bromilow@shanklyhotel.com in order to book with them. You can also read my extended review of their tours by checking out my blog post here.

Another possibility is to book directly with Liverpool FC. Click here to book and read more information about all of the different types of stadium tours. Liverpool will often list special events and place notifications on their website if a portion of the tour is temporarily closed. There are several tour options list on the website including a Q&A and a meeting with a LFC legend (former player). The stadium tour has changed over the years but I have usually booked the “LFC Stadium Tour (Museum Included)” option. This is the self-guided tour option that includes entrance to the on-site museum.

One of the options is to book an experience (which includes a tour) with a legend. I booked a tour with a legend a few years ago but the new experiences seem to be different. My tour was with Phil Neal and you can check out my photos below.

Phil was an awesome tour guide and I highly recommend booking with him. He’s Liverpool’s most decorated player and has lots of stories to tell. He came across as very humble during the tour and answered any questions that our group had. If you look at the LFC website you’ll see other Anfield Experiences include legends such as Steve McMahon, Alan Kennedy, Mark Wright, Bruce Grobbelaar, and John Aldridge. I have met Alan Kennedy (at an Anfield pub after the game) but I haven’t met any of the others. Kennedy is fantastic and I’m sure the others would do a great job with the Anfield Experience. According to the website, the new Legends Experience includes a 3 course meal in the Main Stand Hospitality Lounges overlooking the pitch. It also includes an autograph and a takeaway gift.

There might be discounts available to you when you book the tour. For instance, senior citizens can receive a discount and there is a place for promotion codes in the booking website. I have never seen or used any promo codes but I guess they are out there somewhere!

When To Book The Tour

I recommend booking the tour on a weekday and on match day or the day before the match. There are special match day tours but they don’t allow access to the Home or Away Team dressing rooms or the Press Room. These areas will be closed in order to prepare for the game and as you can see from my photos below it’s certainly worth visiting the changing room (I know that Emre Can no longer plays for us but I wanted to share the photo as an example).

If you are only in Liverpool for a limited amount of time then I would book the tour whenever you are able to, but if you have a few extra days then I highly recommend booking at least 2 days prior to match day or the following few days after the match. I also recommend booking on a week day and in the morning as the stadium is usually quieter during this time. I always prefer to book tours when it’s as quiet as possible and to capture photos with less people!

What To Do Before And After The Anfield Stadium Tour

Whenever I have booked the stadium tour I have always factored in time to visit the Retail Shop located at Anfield. I recommend avoiding the shop on match day as it’s jam packed and the lines are long. There are also two official Liverpool FC shops located in the city center.

There is a fantastic restaurant at Anfield called The Boot Room. I’ve eaten here about 4 times and every meal I’ve had is great. It’s a football themed restaurant and if you are able to book a table on an away match day you can watch here with your own TV at your table.

How To Get To The Stadium

Most people visiting Liverpool will stay in the city centre. This is where I’ve always stayed as there isn’t much in the Anfield neighborhood and I only ever go to Anfield for stadium tours, match days, and to eat at the Boot Room. Most traveling Liverpool supporters will stay in the city centre as it’s close to restaurants and the main sights in the city. I’ve actually written an entire blog post which is dedicated to where to stay in the city and how to book accommodation. You can check that out here.

If you do stay in the Anfield neighborhood then of course you can walk to the stadium. If you are staying in the center or anywhere else in the city there are several options. You can ask your hotel to call a taxi or find one in the city. You can also book an Uber which is my preferred method of transport in Liverpool. Unfortunately, there is not a train that will take you to Anfield from anywhere in the city.

If you want a cheaper option than a taxi or Uber, you can you book the LFC City Explorer Bus which will take you directly from two locations in the city centre to the stadium. The bus is 8 pounds and runs several times per day. There is also the local city bus that will take you from the city center to Anfield.

There isn’t any parking available to Anfield visitors and all of the street parking belongs to residents. I do not recommend renting a car and driving to Anfield as you just won’t find a place to park.

Final Thoughts

The stadium tour is a must-do if you plan to visit Liverpool! The stadium tour has evolved over the years and it probably will continue to do so. I will regularly update this blog post with any future changes. Please feel free to comment below if you have any questions and check out my other blog posts for more Liverpool travel tips.

P.s. the photo below is a really bad one of me but I wanted to share it as it’s one from the old changing room in 2015!

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The Anfield Stadium Tour – What To Expect