KIA Oval

Home of Surrey Cricket Ground

Based in Kennington, South London, The KIA Oval was first established in 1845. The earliest recorded match to be played on the ground was between London and Dartford, which took place on 18th June 1724.

The international cricket ground has been the home ground of Surrey County Cricket Club since it first opened. The popularity of the ground continued to grow over the years. In 1968, 20,000 people gathered to witness the first Aboriginal Cricket Tour of England.

Traditionally the final test match of the English season is played here and is the largest playing area for a test venue in the UK. As well as cricket, the ground is also used as a venue for football, rugby and hockey.

With the new cricket fixtures announced, Ben Stokes’ side is preparing for an international series in 2024. Cricket fans are guaranteed to witness many legendary cricket players in action at the Oval.

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KIA Oval Hospitality Packages

Experience the iconic KIA Oval with one of our fantastic KIA Oval hospitality packages. Don’t miss out on world-class cricket during the international series.

KIA Oval Roof Terrace

With our KIA Oval hospitality on offer, guests and clients can enjoy a spectacular summer of cricket with some of the best views of the action. Whether you are looking to relax in luxury style with the JM Finn Stand Executive Boxes, offering a private seating dining experience, or enjoy a casual, simple environment with the Ashes Suite, providing complimentary drinks with a well-prepared breakfast.  Tickets are selling fast – don’t wait to plan your perfect summer’s day out!

KIA Oval Hospitality for England Cricket 2024

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The History of KIA Oval

The KIA Oval in Kennington, South London, is home to Surrey County Cricket Club – formed in 1845 and one of the most historic sports clubs in the UK. It has also staged international cricket there since 1880 and was the ground where the Ashes were born in 1882.

Since then, every good cricketer in the game has played in the shadow of the well-known gas-holders who overlook the ground. Surrey’s Club first won the County Championship in 1890 and, in a golden era from 1952 to 1958, took the title an unprecedented seven consecutive times.

Ever since we have been introduced to One Day and Twenty20 cricket, Surrey has also had a lot of success in the limited-overs game.

Formed in 1845 at the local Horns Tavern, great players include Sir Jack Hobbs, Jim Laker, Peter May, Sir Alec Bedser, Alec Stewart, Graham Thorpe and Mark Butcher.

In the twentieth century, 1938 saw Sir Len Hutton achieve the highest ever recorded Test Match score by an Englishman at The Oval before, ten years on, Sir Donald Bradman, the great Australian and arguably the best cricketer, played his final innings at the ground, just failing to score the four runs he required for a Test Match average of 100.

Later KIA Oval became a home from home for the all-conquering West Indies teams of the 1970s and 1980s, with Michael Holding taking 8/92 in 1976 and Sir Vivian Richards hitting 291 in the exact match.

In more recent times, KIA Oval hosted the finale of the 2005 Ashes – for many the most incredible series ever played – and again staged England Ashes victories in 2009 and 2013.

Away from cricket, some say KIA Oval is where English team sport was founded.

In 1870, KIA Oval hosted the first-ever International football match in England – between England and Scotland – and two years later, in 1872, the first-ever FA Cup Final between Wanderers and Engineers, won 1-0 by the Wanderers. The Engineers gained a measure of revenge in 2012 when the ground re-staged the match, winning 7-1.

The same year, 1872, the Surrey’s was the venue for the first-ever Rugby Union fixture to be played in England, between England and Scotland.

The facilities are impressive, with a new 6,300 capacity stand development completing the ground modernisation, replacing the Peter May and Lock Stand, and raising capacity to 25,300.

It has kept the name of Peter May, one of the all-time greatest captains in the history of Surrey CCC and a boyhood hero to a generation of fans, with the neighbouring Laker Stand becoming the Lock/Laker Stand to pay homage to the enduring spin partnership between Jim Laker and Tony Lock that helped May deliver all that success to the Club in the 1950s.

The space beneath has been transformed into a large concourse for the KIA Oval, with many new bars and corporate-friendly catering facilities designed to improve the customer experience for the hundreds of thousands of supporters that visit every summer. It has become a fabulous corporate venue for those looking to dazzle their esteemed clientele.

A great and historic stadium that is determined to continued greatness into the future.

With the inclusion of the Ashes Suite and Duchy Suite, guests can watch the legendary players of the pitch from a private balcony and enjoy the comforts of well-prepared food and refreshments, providing ultimate cricket hospitality to remember. The Executive Boxes and the Montpelier Club offer guests traditional afternoon tea and fine dining with a la carte lunch menu.

Travelling to KIA Oval

Please use the map provided by Google for further information.

How do I get to KIA Oval cricket ground by car?

It is advised that you use public transport to get to the ground, as they only offer parking to blue badge holders, which is off-site on particular matchdays (Vitality Blast and Internationals).

The ground (A202) is accessible in close proximity to the junction with the A3 and A24 roads which are 10 minutes south of Victoria and Waterloo. This junction is also located just south of the Vauxhall Bridge.

How do I get to KIA Oval cricket ground by train?

The KIA Oval advises that you catch a South Western Railway service to Vauxhall Train Station, which is situated a convenient 10 minute walk from the stadium. Trains to and from Vauxhall Stadium arrive and leave on a regular basis from whatever part of the country you are traveling from.

How do I get to KIA Oval by London Underground?

You can also travel easily to the stadium via the London Underground. It is advised that you take the Northern Line and travel to the Oval Tube Station. Once you arrive and exit the station, the ground should be almost immediately to your left.

How do I get to KIA Oval by bus?

There are regular buses that you can use to travel to and from the ground. You can take the 36, 185 and 436 bus services which will take you to a spot just outside of the stadium. You can also take the 3, 59, 109, 133, 159 and 333 bus services, but you will have to take a 5 minute walk to get to the ground itself.

KIA Oval FAQs

The KIA Oval only offer offsite parking on particular matchdays (International or Vitality Blast Matches) for blue badge holders.

Yes, guide dogs are allowed at the KIA Oval for the visually impaired. Stewards will be on hand for you to find your seat and textured paving is also used to help you navigate your way around the ground.

You are NOT allowed to bring in your own alcohol, glass containers or metal cans after a ban imposed by the ICC (International Cricket Council). This ban is for Test Matches, ODIs, Vitality Blast and The Hundred.

No, the KIA Oval does NOT accept cash, as it is now a cashless venue. Facilities such as food and drink vendors will ONLY accept payments by card

This will of course vary. For example, Test Matches begin at 11am and end at approximately 6pm. For One Day Internationals, they start at 1pm and end at around 8:45pm. As for the Vitality Blast, this will start at 6:30pm, with the close of play coming at around 9:15pm.

There is an interval too. For Test Matches, this is from 1pm to 1:40pm. For ODIs, the interval is between 4:30pm and 5:15pm. As for the Vitality Blast, intervals begin at 7:45pm with this ending at 8pm

The dress code for the KIA Oval is smart casual, so tailored shirts, trainers, polo shirts are amongst the clothing items allowed at the venue.


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