Selhurst Park Seating Plan

This guide is written for the supporter making the trip, not the browser. It covers the train down from central London, how the four stands are arranged around the Holmesdale Road end, where away fans sit, the bag rules and the entry process, the pubs and food of the area, and the story of a proud club now living its best days. By the end you should know how a Crystal Palace matchday runs.

Selhurst Park at a Glance

Detail	Information
Full Name	Selhurst Park
Location	Selhurst, Croydon, south London, England
Capacity	25,486
Opened	1924, designed by Archibald Leitch
Surface	Natural grass
Home Club	Crystal Palace
Home End	The Holmesdale Road Stand
Record Attendance	51,801, against Burnley in 1979
Notable	A planned new main stand to raise the capacity to around 34,000
Nearest Stations	Selhurst, Norwood Junction and Thornton Heath

How to Get There

Selhurst Park sits in the Selhurst district of Croydon in south London, around thirteen kilometres from the centre, and it is reached above all by National Rail, with three stations within a short walk of the ground. There is no Underground station nearby, so the train is the way in for most supporters, with frequent services down from the main London terminals. The ground is a walk of around ten to fifteen minutes from each of the three local stations, well signed on matchday.

By Train

The three nearest stations are Selhurst, Norwood Junction and Thornton Heath, each a walk of around ten to fifteen minutes from the ground, served by trains from London Victoria, London Bridge and London Overground among others. Norwood Junction is one of the busier and better connected, with frequent services, while Selhurst is the closest to some parts of the ground. Check which station best suits your route into London, and follow the crowd and the signs from the station to the stadium.

By Underground and Tram

There is no Underground station close to Selhurst Park, so the train is the main way in, though the London Overground and the Tramlink network in Croydon connect parts of south London to the area, with a change to the train or a bus to reach the ground. For most supporters coming from central London the direct train to Selhurst, Norwood Junction or Thornton Heath is far simpler than the Underground. The rail links are the heart of the journey to the ground.

By Bus and on Foot

Several London bus routes serve the Selhurst and South Norwood area and stop within a short walk of the ground, giving an alternative to the train for those coming from around south London. From the local stations the walk to the stadium is around ten to fifteen minutes through the residential streets, a typical old-school English matchday approach. The ground is tucked into a residential area, so follow the crowd and the signs on the walk in.

By Car

Driving to Selhurst Park is not the easiest option, as the ground sits in a dense residential area of south London with strict matchday parking restrictions and permit schemes on the surrounding streets, so parking near the ground is very limited. The advice is to take the train rather than drive, given the good rail links and the parking difficulties. Those who must drive should expect to park a fair way from the ground and check the local restrictions carefully to avoid a fine.

Parking

Parking at Selhurst Park is very limited, as the ground is set in a dense residential district of Croydon with matchday parking restrictions and residents' permit schemes on the surrounding streets, so driving right to the ground is not the easy option. There is no large car park at the stadium, and the local streets are controlled on matchday, so supporters who drive should expect to park some distance away and walk in, checking the restrictions carefully. With three railway stations within a short walk and frequent trains from central London, the vast majority of supporters find the train far easier than driving to this south London ground.

Seating Guide

Selhurst Park is a classic, tightly packed old English ground with four stands close to the pitch, a world away from the identikit modern arena, and it is famous for the noise its passionate crowd generates. The four stands are the Holmesdale Road Stand behind one goal, the Whitehorse Lane Stand behind the other, the Arthur Wait Stand along one side and the old Main Stand opposite, the original 1924 structure with its Leitch red-brick frontage. The Holmesdale Road Stand is the home of the most vocal Crystal Palace support and the source of the ground's celebrated atmosphere.

The Holmesdale Road Stand

The Holmesdale Road Stand behind one goal, the largest and a two-tiered structure, is the home of the most passionate Crystal Palace support, including the Holmesdale Fanatics, whose flags, drums and singing make Selhurst Park one of the loudest grounds in the Premier League. This is the section to target for the fullest atmosphere, in the red and blue of the club, packed and fervent in a way that belies the modest size of the ground. The Holmesdale is the beating heart of a Crystal Palace matchday and a large part of what makes the ground special.

The Main Stand and the Rest of the Ground

The old Main Stand, the original 1924 structure with its Archibald Leitch red-brick frontage, runs along one side and holds the premium and hospitality seating, the media positions and the tunnel, with the best central view of the play, though it is a piece of football history awaiting redevelopment. The Arthur Wait Stand opposite runs the length of the other touchline, and the Whitehorse Lane Stand behind the far goal holds executive boxes. The central seats of the Main Stand give the best balanced view, while the ends and the corners are closer to the atmosphere.

Away Fans and Accessibility

Away supporters are housed in a section of the Arthur Wait Stand along one side of the pitch, close to the action in the tight ground, with the away following often adding to the noise, and an allocation that varies by fixture. The ground has accessible provision, with positions for wheelchair users and step-free access to the relevant areas, though as an old stadium from the 1920s some parts are more constrained than at a modern build, so supporters with access requirements should contact the club before the match. The table below matches a section to what you want from the day.

Priority	Recommended Sections
Atmosphere	The Holmesdale Road Stand, the home end
Tactical overview	Main Stand, central rows
Close to pitch	Front rows of the lower tiers
Calmer view	The Whitehorse Lane Stand
Budget-friendly	The corners and the upper tiers
Away fans	A section of the Arthur Wait Stand
Accessibility	Wheelchair-user positions (request at purchase)

Weather and Roof Coverage

London has a mild, changeable climate, with cool, wet winters and warm summers, so rain is a real possibility across much of a Premier League season. The stands at Selhurst Park are covered, keeping most of the crowd dry, though as a tight old ground the odd exposed spot and the front rows can catch a shower or the wind. For an autumn or winter fixture a warm and waterproof layer is sensible given the London weather, while the early and late-season matches are usually milder, though a shower is never far away in England.

Bag Policy

Like other Premier League grounds, Selhurst Park runs a firm bag policy with searches on entry, so the sensible approach is to travel light. Large bags and rucksacks are best left at your accommodation, since oversized bags are refused and there is no guarantee of a bag store, with only small bags admitted subject to search. Standard prohibited items apply, including bottles, cans, outside alcohol, pyrotechnics and flares, and any object judged dangerous. Check the club's matchday guidance for the current bag size limit before you travel, and arrive early to clear the search, especially for the visit of one of the big clubs when the ground is busiest.

Food, Drink and Pubs

Selhurst Park is a proper old-school English football ground with a lively matchday pub scene in the surrounding streets, so the build-up is part of the fun, and the wider draws of London are a short train ride away. The area around the ground is residential, but there are traditional pubs near the stadium and the local stations that fill with supporters on matchday.

Matchday Pubs near the Ground

The streets around Selhurst Park and the nearby stations have a number of traditional pubs that come alive on matchday, popular with home supporters for a pre-match pint, along with the fast-food outlets and cafes typical of an English ground. The pubs near the stadium and towards Norwood Junction and South Norwood are the classic spots for a drink before the game, in the old-fashioned football tradition. As with any English ground, some pubs near the stadium are for home supporters, so away fans should choose carefully or drink nearer the centre.

Croydon and Central London

Croydon town centre, a short distance away, offers a wider choice of pubs, bars and restaurants, while the whole of central London is a short train ride to the north, with its endless choice of food and drink. Because the ground is so well connected by rail, many supporters combine a day in London with the match, drinking and eating in the centre before the train down to Selhurst. The rail links make it easy to pair the game with the wider city.

Food Inside the Ground

Inside the ground the concourses serve the traditional English matchday fare of pies, burgers and hot drinks, in keeping with the old-school character of the stadium. The fuller choice is in the pubs and cafes around the ground and in Croydon and central London, so for a better meal eat before or after the match, and use the concourses for a pie and a drink at half-time in the classic football manner.

Entry Process and Gate Times

Crystal Palace use modern ticketing, so for most fixtures the ticket is issued digitally to a phone and scanned at the turnstile, though some tickets may still be issued as cards depending on the match. Load the ticket, charge your phone and have it ready before you reach the turnstile. Gates open ahead of kick-off to let the crowd filter in, and with a bag search and the tight old entrances the turnstiles get busy in the last half hour, particularly for the visit of one of the big clubs. Aim to be at the ground in good time rather than joining the final rush at the narrow entrances.

Getting Away After the Match

Leaving a tight ground in a residential area means walking back to one of the three local stations, from where frequent trains carry the crowd back into London.

By Train

The walk back to Selhurst, Norwood Junction or Thornton Heath stations takes around ten to fifteen minutes, and frequent trains carry the crowd back towards London Victoria, London Bridge and the Overground after the match. The stations are busy immediately after the final whistle, so either move quickly with the first wave or give the crush a few minutes to clear before setting off, and spreading across the three stations helps. The good rail links mean you are back in central London before long for the evening.

On Foot and by Bus

The walk to the stations through the residential streets is the standard way out, and buses from the area give an alternative for those heading around south London. The narrow streets around the ground are busy right after the match, so patience helps, and a short walk to a slightly further station or bus stop can be quicker than the crush at the nearest. The area is a typical south London residential district, so follow the crowd on the way back.

Rounding Off the Evening

The natural way to end a Crystal Palace matchday is to take the train back into central London for the evening, with the whole city and its pubs, restaurants and nightlife a short ride away, or to stay for a drink in one of the traditional pubs near the ground. The simplest way to beat any post-match crowd is to let the first wave clear before heading to the station, then enjoy the city. An evening in London after the match is a fine end to a football trip to Selhurst Park.

Stadium History

Selhurst Park opened in 1924, designed by the celebrated stadium architect Archibald Leitch, whose red-brick main stand still stands as a piece of football history, and it has been the home of Crystal Palace ever since. A classic, tightly packed English ground, it has grown and changed over the decades while keeping its old-school character and its reputation for a fierce atmosphere. Its record attendance of 51,801 came in 1979, when Crystal Palace beat Burnley to clinch promotion, in the days before the ground became all-seater and the capacity was reduced to its present size.

Crystal Palace, known as the Eagles, are a proud south London club with a passionate support, and after many years of near misses and ups and downs they are living the finest era in their history. In 2025 the club won the FA Cup, the first major trophy in its history, a landmark day for the Eagles and their supporters, and the triumph took Crystal Palace into European competition, bringing famous continental nights to Selhurst Park and a run to a European final. The Holmesdale Fanatics and the wider support have given the ground one of the best atmospheres in the English game through it all.

The ground has staged many memorable matches over the decades, from promotion deciders to the great days of recent seasons, and the fiercest local rivalry, with Brighton in the derby of the south coast and the capital, brings a charged atmosphere whenever the sides meet. The visits of the biggest clubs, Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea, are the biggest occasions of the Premier League season for the Eagles. From 1924 to a first FA Cup and European nights, Selhurst Park holds a proud place in the story of the English game.

Memorable Matches

The stadium's history, verified by contemporary records, is defined by the passion of the Crystal Palace support and by the recent rise of the club to the finest era in its history. Its greatest chapter is the FA Cup triumph of 2025, the first major trophy in the club's history, and the European nights that followed, along with the promotion deciders and great escapes of earlier years. The visits of the biggest clubs fill the ground, the Brighton derby brings the fiercest atmosphere, and the noise of the Holmesdale Road end has become one of the iconic sounds of the Premier League.

Stadium Future

The future of Selhurst Park is an exciting one, as Crystal Palace have approval for a major redevelopment that will replace the old main stand with a striking new structure, raising the capacity of the ground to around thirty-four thousand. The new stand, with a glass frontage inspired by the original Crystal Palace exhibition building that gave the club its name, is a project costing well over a hundred million pounds and set to proceed in phases, modernising the ground while keeping its character and its atmosphere. When the work is complete, the Eagles will have a bigger and better home fit for their new era, while for now Selhurst Park remains the tight, atmospheric ground its supporters love.

Accessibility

Selhurst Park has accessible provision, with positions for wheelchair users and step-free access to the relevant areas, though as an old ground from the 1920s some parts are more constrained than at a modern build, and the planned redevelopment should improve this in time. Supporters requiring accessible seating should contact the club well before the match to confirm the available spaces, arrange any companion ticket and check the best route into the ground and the nearest station access. The three local railway stations give reasonable access to the ground, though the walk from each and the tight old streets mean it is worth planning the route and allowing extra time on a busy matchday.

High-Demand Fixtures and Pricing

The fixtures that move Selhurst Park Stadium tickets fastest are the visits of the biggest clubs and the Brighton derby. The visit of Liverpool is one of the standout occasions, and you can follow it on the Crystal Palace vs Liverpool tickets page, with the visitors' own listings on the Liverpool tickets page. The meeting with Arsenal is another huge draw, covered on the Crystal Palace vs Arsenal tickets page and the Arsenal tickets listings, while the visit of Manchester United and the rest of the big clubs, Manchester City and Chelsea among them, also sells fast. The full home programme sits on the Crystal Palace tickets and Premier League tickets listings. Fixtures against mid-table sides are the most accessible and sometimes available closer to kick-off, though the small capacity keeps demand high. Secondary-market prices move with demand, so treat any figure as indicative rather than fixed and buy early for the big fixtures.

Buying Selhurst Park Stadium Tickets on 1BoxOffice

1BoxOffice is a verified secondary marketplace that has operated since 2006, showing seat-level detail before you pay and backing every order with a 150% money-back guarantee if a ticket fails to grant entry on matchday. The eight steps below cover the process from finding a fixture to tracking your order.

Tips for International Visitors

Selhurst Park offers international visitors a proper, old-school English football experience, a tight and passionate ground a world away from the giant modern arenas, paired with the endless draws of London. Fly into one of London's airports, all connected to the centre by rail, then take a train south to Selhurst, Norwood Junction or Thornton Heath for the match. Base yourself anywhere central in London, and remember that there is no Underground station by the ground so the train is the way in, that the stadium is set in a residential area of Croydon, and that the atmosphere of the Holmesdale Road end is the real draw. London pairs a match with one of the great cities of the world.

With the whole of London on the doorstep, many supporters build a longer trip around the match. If you are lining up other fixtures, the football tickets hub, the wider football tournaments calendar and the venues tickets directory show what else is on. In and around London, the sights of the centre, from the Tower and the river to the West End and the parks, the museums and the markets, and the crystal palace park with its famous dinosaur sculptures near the ground all reward a matchday trip to the capital.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources: Crystal Palace FC (cpfc.co.uk), club matchday guidance, National Rail and Transport for London information, and stadium reference records such as StadiumDB and football ground guides.