2-631-871 - Historic England/Heritage Images

National Sports Centre, Crystal Palace Park, London, 2006. The National Sports Centre opened in 1964 as the home of UK athletics. The stadium has a capacity of 15,500 but can be expanded to 24,000 with temporary seating. It has been superceded as the premier UK athletics stadium by the 2012 Olympic Stadium. From the 1860s Crystal Palace Park has had an illustrious sporting history, having hosted top class football, rugby, cricket and grand prix motor racing until the early years of the 20th century.