London, 29 November 2025 — Wembley is preparing for a decade of transformation on and off the pitch. As developers advance plans for a new hotel and redesigned public square at the foot of Wembley Stadium’s Olympic Steps, the UK has formally launched a joint bid to host the 2035 FIFA Women’s World Cup — a tournament that would rely heavily on the national stadium and a network of 22 venues across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. [1]
Taken together, the two developments signal how one of football’s most famous addresses is being reshaped for a new era of major events, mass tourism and women’s sport.
A new hotel at the foot of Wembley Stadium’s steps
From ‘meanwhile’ market square to permanent landmark
London property developer Quintain has set out plans to build a hotel on plot NW04, a patch of land at the bottom of the Olympic Steps, directly opposite Wembley Stadium and beside Brent Civic Centre. [2]
The site is currently home to Market Square and Samovar Space, which since 2022 have hosted a market, children’s soft play and community events as “meanwhile” uses ahead of permanent development. [3]
According to local outlet Harrow Online and follow‑up reporting syndicated on other news sites, the hotel plans include: [4]
- A hotel entrance and lobby opening directly onto a reconfigured Samovar Square
- Active ground floors with retail or restaurant units along Olympic Way
- Integration of Market Square and Samovar Space into a single, larger public square capable of hosting markets, festivals and outdoor cinema
- Retention and repositioning of the cherry trees that currently define the southern edge of the square
The hotel would sit on the northern half of the plot, while roughly half the site — primarily the southern portion — must remain public open space under existing planning parameters for NW04. [5]
Planning history and council funding
Wembley Park’s NW04 plot has outline planning permission dating back to 2011 for either a hotel or office building, a position refined by a 2018 consent that fixed the massing and location of a future building and public space. [6]
Local democracy reporting shows Brent Council’s Cabinet previously approved a £12.1 million contribution towards improvements around the stadium, on the condition that Quintain: [7]
- Did not pursue the full scale of development allowed under the original outline permission for NW04
- Worked with the council to create a “significant new square” outside the Civic Centre Library
Separate documents cited by local blog Wembley Matters note that, as part of a wider funding deal for improvements to Olympic Way, the council agreed a contribution of up to £17.8m for the stadium approaches, tied to ensuring meaningful civic space in front of the Civic Centre. [8]
Quintain has told residents and councillors it expects to submit a Reserved Matters Application for the hotel in early 2026, after further public engagement. Recent work on the site has so far been limited to surveys and temporary event uses linked to concerts at the stadium. [9]
If the scheme is approved, construction is not expected to start before late 2026 and could take two to three years, meaning the hotel and rebuilt square are likely to open in the early 2030s. [10]
Community concerns over loss of open space
While the hotel proposal fits the long‑standing Wembley masterplan, it has sparked debate among local residents who have grown attached to Samovar Space as a rare, flexible open area amid dense new development.
In correspondence published by Wembley Matters, campaigners argue that the “temporary” square has become an important community hub, and fear that even with replacement spaces, years of construction will erode the character and openness of the current layout. [11]
Quintain counters that the approved parameters for NW04 always envisaged a building on the site and that its designs will: [12]
- Rotate and enlarge the main public space along Engineers Way, strengthening links between Olympic Way, the Civic Centre and Wembley Park Boulevard
- Create a smaller “pocket” terrace space near today’s Wembley Splay
- Retain and reuse elements of Samovar Space where possible, and donate others to local groups
The planning committee will ultimately have to weigh the need for hotel capacity next to a national stadium against the social value of open space that has, in practice, become a community asset.
UK launches joint bid to host the 2035 FIFA Women’s World Cup
A record‑breaking tournament across 15 cities and 22 stadiums
While Wembley’s urban fabric is being redrawn, football authorities across the UK have spent this week talking about a very different kind of architecture: a 22‑strong stadium shortlist for the 2035 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
On Friday, the Football Association (FA), Irish FA, Scottish FA and FA of Wales formally submitted a joint bid for the 2035 tournament, confirming that England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are the sole bidders. [13]
Key features of the bid include: [14]
- 22 proposed stadiums in 15 host cities (16 when Trafford is counted separately)
- 16 stadiums in England, 3 in Wales, 2 in Scotland and 1 in Northern Ireland
- A projected 104 matches over 39 days, featuring 48 teams
- Estimated 4.5 million tickets sold and a global TV audience of around 3.5 billion
- Around 63 million people living within two hours of a match venue, making it one of the most accessible World Cups ever
The bid would deliver the largest single‑sport event ever staged in the UK and the first World Cup — men’s or women’s — on home soil since 1966. [15]
The UK’s detailed bid book, now published by FIFA, lays out how fan zones, training bases and transport will knit together sites from Belfast to Brighton and Wrexham to Wembley. [16]
Stadium shortlist: Wembley, Old Trafford and new builds
The shortlist of 22 stadiums, originally reported by BBC Sport and widely republished, reads like a who’s who of British football grounds — with a number of future venues on the list. [17]
Highlights include: [18]
- London: Wembley Stadium, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Emirates Stadium, Selhurst Park and a Chelsea venue (either a redeveloped Stamford Bridge or a new stadium)
- Manchester & Trafford: Etihad Stadium and Old Trafford — with the bid allowing for Manchester United’s proposed 100,000‑seat “New Old Trafford” if designs are ready in time
- Birmingham: Villa Park and Birmingham City’s planned Powerhouse/Sports Quarter stadium, targeted for around 62,000 seats by the early 2030s
- Wales: Cardiff City Stadium and the Principality Stadium in Cardiff
- Scotland: Easter Road (Edinburgh) and Hampden Park (Glasgow)
- Northern Ireland: Windsor Park in Belfast, which would require upgrades to meet FIFA capacity thresholds
- Wrexham: the historic Stok Cae Ras (Racecourse Ground), earmarked for redevelopment so it can meet tournament standards
An article carrying BBC Sport’s copy notes that Wembley Stadium is likely to host the final, continuing its role as the symbolic home of English football. [19]
Some of the most eye‑catching entries are the unbuilt or partially planned stadiums: Manchester United’s future arena, Birmingham City’s new ground, and the upgraded facilities in Wrexham. Agencies such as the AP and Reuters point out that their inclusion is both a statement of long‑term intent and a logistical challenge — all must be completed, tested and compliant with FIFA’s technical rules well before 2035. [20]
Political backing and legacy promises
The bid has attracted strong political and institutional backing across the UK.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer described hosting the tournament as a chance to build on the Lionesses’ success, linking it to increased investment in school sport and grassroots facilities. [21]
In a joint statement, the CEOs of the four football associations said a Women’s World Cup in the UK could “turbo‑charge” the women’s and girls’ game, while delivering a long‑term legacy in participation, facilities and visibility. [22]
Players and coaches have echoed that message. In interviews around the bid, Lionesses record goalscorer Ellen White and midfielder Keira Walsh spoke about the power of a home tournament to inspire a new generation, recalling the transformational effect of Euro 2022. [23]
The Prince of Wales, who is also president of the FA, publicly endorsed the bid on social media, calling the prospect of a 2035 Women’s World Cup on home soil “exciting times ahead”. [24]
FIFA will decide the hosts for both the 2031 and 2035 Women’s World Cups at its Congress in Vancouver on 30 April 2026. With no rival bids submitted for 2035, the UK is widely expected to be confirmed, though the formal vote still has to take place. [25]
How Wembley’s new hotel fits into the 2035 World Cup vision
A hospitality hub on Olympic Way
If the UK is confirmed as 2035 host and Wembley does stage the final, demand for hotel beds and fan‑friendly public spaces around the stadium will soar.
The proposed hotel would sit directly on Olympic Way, turning a currently temporary market and play area into a permanent hospitality hub. Concept images published by Quintain show: [26]
- A hotel frontage opening onto a generous plaza capable of hosting fan events, screenings and pop‑up markets
- A stronger pedestrian connection between the stadium, Civic Centre and Wembley Park Boulevard
- New active ground‑floor uses that could support match‑day footfall as well as everyday local life
Brent has already been exploring how fan zones, fanzines and cultural programming could use spaces like Arena Square and Samovar Space; plans for a 3,000‑capacity fanzone nearby were lodged last year. [27]
By the early 2030s — assuming planning and construction stay on track — Wembley could offer a cluster of hotels, bars and public squares within a short walk of the stadium bowl, reinforcing its role as the natural focal point for a Women’s World Cup final.
Balancing regeneration with local needs
The challenge, residents say, is ensuring that World Cup ambitions and commercial regeneration do not squeeze out the people who live with the stadium year‑round.
Critics of the hotel plan argue that: [28]
- “Temporary” spaces like Samovar Space have become vital, everyday community hubs
- New “pocket parks” may not replace the light, openness and informality of the current square
- Construction for a hotel serving occasional mega‑events could mean years of disruption for marginal benefits to locals
Supporters counter that Wembley Park was always conceived as a high‑density, mixed‑use district around a national stadium, and that carefully designed new squares can both host global events and stay genuinely public between tournaments. [29]
For Brent Council, the 2035 Women’s World Cup bid and the Wembley hotel scheme are now deeply intertwined tests of whether big‑ticket sports events can coexist with inclusive, community‑minded urban design.
What happens next?
- Early 2026 – Quintain is expected to submit a detailed planning application (Reserved Matters) for the Wembley hotel and surrounding public realm, following further local consultation. [30]
- 30 April 2026 – FIFA Congress in Vancouver votes on hosts for the 2031 and 2035 Women’s World Cups. With no rival bid, the UK is strongly placed for 2035. [31]
- Late 2026 onwards – If approved, construction of the hotel and the reworked Samovar/Market Square public spaces could begin, taking two to three years. [32]
- Early 2030s – New or redeveloped stadiums in Manchester, Birmingham, Wrexham and elsewhere are due to be completed if their owners want them in contention for the final stadium list. [33]
- 2035 – A 48‑team Women’s World Cup, potentially with Wembley at its heart and a new hotel overlooking the famous steps, could cap three decades of regeneration in and around the stadium. [34]
References
1. harrowonline.org, 2. harrowonline.org, 3. harrowonline.org, 4. harrowonline.org, 5. wembleymatters.blogspot.com, 6. harrowonline.org, 7. harrowonline.org, 8. wembleymatters.blogspot.com, 9. wembleymatters.blogspot.com, 10. harrowonline.org, 11. wembleymatters.blogspot.com, 12. wembleymatters.blogspot.com, 13. www.reuters.com, 14. www.reuters.com, 15. www.reuters.com, 16. www.theguardian.com, 17. www.modernghana.com, 18. www.theguardian.com, 19. www.modernghana.com, 20. apnews.com, 21. www.itv.com, 22. www.itv.com, 23. www.theguardian.com, 24. www.itv.com, 25. www.theguardian.com, 26. harrowonline.org, 27. harrowonline.org, 28. wembleymatters.blogspot.com, 29. www.stace.co.uk, 30. wembleymatters.blogspot.com, 31. www.theguardian.com, 32. harrowonline.org, 33. www.modernghana.com, 34. en.wikipedia.org
