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Driven by the concept that stadiums are modern-day temples, British artist and architect Jayden Ali invited the architect behind the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Chris Lee, and Spurs Women’s footballer, Lenna Gunning-Williams, to examine the physical spaces of sports.

As the 2026 World Cup currently brings fans globally together for the shared devotion to football, the trio explores how architecture shapes the anticipation, preparation and performance of sport, and how it actively dictates deep-rooted rituals, in a journey tracing from the dressing room to the performance on the pitch. Accompanying their dialogue are architectural blueprints of the stadium as well as images taken by Jayden, capturing moments during a home game with Lenna on the pitch.

‘ When you’re at a home game and suddenly realise the away fans are louder because they’re more up for it, that kind of back and forth is brilliant — once I’m on, I’m not nervous at all. I want people to shout my name, to feel an entire full stadium of people on your side.’

LENNA GUNNING-WILLIAMS
Tottenham Hotspur Women’s footballer

‘I see stadiums as contemporary cathedrals of our time. In the same way that people would build grand churches in the past, we’ve built these enormous stadiums that can even be seen from a plane and we orientate ourselves around them.’

JAYDEN ALI
British artist, architect and avid Spurs fan