London’s eclectic mix of culture means that there’s something new to do almost every day of the year.
Whether you’re interested in art, history or sporting activities, getting to know the city through its unique events is easier than ever, especially when you’re staying at the Kensington Hotel London, one of the best-linked hotels for London transport in the city.
This is especially true for sports fans as each year, more and more sporting events are hosted in London.
With traditional favourites such as football and cricket, London’s a no-brainer. With many of the best teams in the world harking from the UK capital, as well as stadiums dotted across the city offering centuries of history, London is a must-visit for fans of Rugby, tennis, cricket, and football.
That’s not all, though!
An increasing number of international sports have started making pit stops in the city. With easy access through online streaming services, British locals and guests of our 4 star hotels in London have started to become avid supporters of many international sports, whether that be martial arts, basketball or American Football.
Throughout the year you’ll find plenty of sporting activities, but as summer comes to a close, we thought we’d give those taking advantage of our autumn period London hotels special offers the rundown of the international sporting events taking place during their stay.
Though the summer may be over, September, October, and November are perfect months to participate in some of the cities most unique sporting events.
Here’s what’s on!
The Ashes
With the Cricket World Cup having taken place this past June, some may be surprised to find that the city wicket revellers still have a chance to show the dedication to this age-old British sport.
The Ashes will be taking place between August and September, seeing some of the best players in the UK and Australia battle it out for the famous urn. The Ashes are a result of a longstanding rivalry between the Australian English Cricket teams and dates back to 1882.
What are the Ashes?
The Ashes consists of five test matches, all taking place over four days. The winner of the most matches has crowned the champion and takes home the titular urn. The urn itself stems from a running joke between the two teams. Back in 1882, when the Australians beat the English in a test game, the Sporting Times reported that the English team had died and that the “body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia”.
After this point, the mythical ashes were associated with test matches between the two teams, and the winners of the yearly matches have taken home an urn dating back to 1882, thought to contain the ashes of a wooden cricket ball.
Whilst the legend of the Ashes may have originated in jest, the game itself is taken very seriously, and acts as a charter of progress for these two teams over the centuries.
Where are the Ashes in London?
The 5th leg of the Ashes will take place at the Kia Oval between the 12th and 16th of September, where it has traditionally taken place since the creation of the tournament. This will be the final test match of this year’s series and will decide the winner of the tournament.
The Kia Oval is a 25,500 capacity cricket pitch in South London and offers access for guests at our 4 star hotel in London.
Easily reachable from Vauxhall Station on the Victoria Line and Oval Station on the Northern Line, this pitch has been staging world-class cricket since 1845, and has undergone redevelopment as recently as 2015, making it one of the modern pinnacles of international cricket pitches.
Nitto ATP Finals 2019
After the four Grand Slam Tournaments, of which Wimbledon in July is one of the most prestigious, the Nitto ATP Finals is the second most important men’s tennis tournaments in the world. This tournament is focussed on doubles and singles games, and runs from the 10th to the 17th of November, offering a vast array of the world’s best tennis talent. With tickets easy to find and an incredible venue, the Nitto ATP Finals are some of the most riveting displays of indoor tennis in the modern world.
What are the Nitto ATP Finals?
The Nitto ATP Finals date back to 1970 and will move from country to country every few years. London however, has held the ATP finals for the longest time running, bringing tennis to the O2 Arena from 2009 to 2020. The Nitto Finals pit the top 8 ATP ranked singles players and doubles teams against each other and offers 7 days of riveting tennis action. So far, Roger Federer holds the most singles titles with 6 top rankings but could be set to lose his streak in the 2019 addition.
Where is the Nitto ATP Finals?
The Nitto ATP Finals are held in the O2 Arena in the Greenwich Docklands area. This incredible venue can hold up to 20,000 spectators and is known for more than sporting events. Over the years, the O2 Arena has hosted some of the most popular live acts in the world, and since its initial development as the Millennium Dome at the turn of the century, has attracted millions of visitors over the past two decades.
Book your accommodation at our Kensington Hotel London now for a chance to get in on the action.
The NFL London Games
The NFL London Games are the London leg of the National Football League of America. Each year, the NFL of America has hosted regular-season games from the USA but transferred to the UK. This year, the NFL London Games will take place between October the 6th and November the 3rd, offering up 4 American Football matches in two of London’s most atmospheric stadiums.
Where are the London Games?
The London Games this year will take place at the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in Tottenham and the iconic Wembley Stadium. With Wembley Stadium being the historic home of the England Football Team, the newly opened Tottenham Stadium will offer up a new, modern feel to the NFL London games.
