Location | London Colney, Hertfordshire |
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Coordinates | 51°42′40″N 0°17′5″W / 51.71111°N 0.28472°W |
Owner | Kroenke Sports & Entertainment |
Type | Football training ground |
Construction | |
Built | 1998–1999 |
Opened | 11 October 1999 |
Construction cost | £10 million |
The Arsenal Training Centre, branded as the Sobha Realty Training Centre for sponsorship reasons, and often referred to as its geographical location London Colney, is the training complex for Arsenal Football Club, located in London Colney, Hertfordshire. It houses ten full-size pitches, an indoor facility and a medical and rehabilitation centre.
Constructed after manager Arsène Wenger campaigned for Arsenal to replace its existing groundshare at University College London, it opened in October 1999 at a cost of £10 million, financed by the £22.5 million transfer of Nicolas Anelka to Real Madrid. The centre has received regular upgrades to its facilities since its opening.
Alongside accommodating Arsenal's first teams and youth teams, the centre acted as the training base for the England national football team before home internationals and friendlies from 2003 and 2012. It has attracted criticism from local residents over environmental and catchment issues.