Archive July 1, 2025

Turning point or pointless turn: Will DR Congo-Rwanda deal bring peace?

Cape Town, South Africa – Five months ago, with a single social media post, United States President Donald Trump put half a million people in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) at risk when he announced the closure of USAID – the single biggest aid donor in the country.

A few days ago in Washington, DC, the same administration claimed credit for extricating the Congolese people from a decades-long conflict often described as the deadliest since World War II. This year alone, thousands of people have died and hundreds of thousands have been displaced.

While the White House may be celebrating its diplomatic triumph in brokering a peace deal between tense neighbours DRC and Rwanda, for sceptical observers and people caught up in conflict and deprivation in eastern DRC, the mood is bound to be far more muted, experts say.

“I think a lot of ordinary citizens are hardly moved by the deal and many will wait to see if there are any positives to come out of it,” said Michael Odhiambo, a peace expert for Eirene International in Uvira in eastern DRC, where 250,000 displaced people lost access to water due to Trump’s aid cutbacks.

Odhiambo suggests that for Congolese living in towns controlled by armed groups – like the mineral-rich area of Rubaya, held by M23 rebels – US involvement in the war may cause anxiety, rather than relief.

“There is fear that American peace may be enforced violently as we have seen in Iran. Many citizens simply want peace and even though [this is] dressed up as a peace agreement, there is fear it may lead to future violence that could be justified by America protecting its business interests. ”

The agreement, signed by the Congolese and Rwandan foreign ministers in Washington on Friday, is an attempt to staunch the bleeding in a conflict that has raged in one form or another since the 1990s.

At the signing, Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe called it a “turning point”, while his Congolese counterpart, Therese Kayikwamba Wagner, said the moment had “been long in coming”.

“It will not erase the pain, but it can begin to restore what conflict has robbed many women, men and children of – safety, dignity and a sense of future,” Wagner said.

Trump has meanwhile said he deserves to be lauded for bringing the parties together, even suggesting that he deserves a Nobel prize for his efforts.

While the deal does aim to quell decades of brutal conflict, observers point to concerns with the fine print: That it was also brokered after Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi said in March that he was willing to partner with the US on a minerals-for-security deal.

Experts say US companies hope to gain access to minerals like tantalum, gold, cobalt, copper and lithium that they desperately need to meet the demand for technology and beat China in the race for Africa’s natural resources.

But this has raised fears among critics that the US’s main interest in the agreement is to further foreign extraction of eastern DRC’s rare earth minerals, which could lead to a replay of the violence seen in past decades, instead of a de-escalation.

M23 and FDLR: Will armed groups fall in line?

The main terms of the peace deal – which is also supported by Qatar – require Kinshasa and Kigali to establish a regional economic integration framework within 90 days and form a joint security coordination mechanism within 30 days. Additionally, the DRC should facilitate the disengagement of the armed group, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), after which Rwanda will lift its “defensive measures” inside the DRC.

According to the United Nations and other international rights groups, there are about 3,000 to 4,000 Rwandan troops on the ground in eastern DRC, as Kigali actively backs M23 rebels who have seized key cities in the region this year. Rwanda has repeatedly denied these claims.

M23 is central to the current conflict in eastern DRC. The rebel group, which first took up arms in 2012, was temporarily defeated in 2013 before it reemerged in 2022. This year, it made significant gains, seizing control of the capitals of both North Kivu and South Kivu provinces in January and February.

Although separate Qatar-led mediation efforts are under way regarding the conflict with M23, the rebel group is not part of this agreement signed last week.

“This deal does not concern M23. M23 is a Congolese issue that is going to be discussed in Doha, Qatar. This is a deal between Rwanda and DRC,” Gatete Nyiringabo Ruhumuliza, a Rwandan political commentator, told Al Jazeera’s Inside Story, explaining that the priority for Kigali is the neutralisation of the FDLR – which was established by Hutus linked to the killings of Tutsis in the 1994 Rwanda genocide.

“Rwanda has its own defensive mechanisms [in DRC] that have nothing to do with M23,” Ruhumuliza said, adding that Kigali will remove these mechanisms only once the FDLR is dealt with.

But the omission of M23 from the US-brokered process points to one of the potential cracks in the deal, experts say.

“The impact of the agreement may be more severe on the FDLR as it explicitly requires that it ceases to exist,” said Eirene International’s Odhiambo. “The M23, however, is in a stronger position given the leverage they have from controlling Goma and Bukavu and the income they are generating in the process. ”

The US-brokered process requires the countries to support ongoing efforts by Qatar to mediate peace between the DRC and M23. But by including this, the deal also “seems to temper its expectations regarding the M23″, Odhiambo argues.

Additionally, “M23 have the capacity to continue to cause mayhem even if Rwanda decided to act against it,” he said. “Therefore, I think the agreement will not in itself have a major impact on the M23. ”

In terms of the current deal’s effect on the two countries, both risk being exposed for their role in the conflict, he added.

“I think that if Rwanda manages to prevail on the M23 as anticipated by the deal, it may prove the long-suspected proxy relationship between them. ”

For DRC, he said Kinshasa executing the terms of the agreement will not augur well for the FDLR, but suggested calls to neutralise them may be a tall order.

“If [Kinshasa] manage to do it, then they remove Rwanda’s justification for its activities in the DRC. But to do so may be a big ask given the capacity of the FARDC [DRC military], and failure to do so will feed into the narrative of a dysfunctional and incapable state. Therefore, I think the DRC has more at stake than Rwanda. ”

On the other hand, Tshisekedi’s government could score political points, according to Jakob Kerstan, DRC country director for the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Foundation (KAS), which promotes democracy and the rule of law.

“The sentiment … of the Congolese population, it’s very much like the conflict has been left behind: No one really cares in the world; the Congo is only being exploited, and so on. And the fact that there is now a global power caring about the DRC … I think this is a gain,” he said.

He feels there is also less pressure on Kinshasa’s government today than earlier this year when M23 was first making its rapid advance. “There are no protests any more. Of course, people are angry about the situation [in the east], but they kind of accept [it]. And they know that militarily they won’t be able to win it. The Kinshasa government, they know it as well. ”

M23 rebels in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo [Hugh Kinsella Cunningham/Getty Images]

‘Peace for exploitation’?

Although Kinshasa appears to have readily offered the US access to the country’s critical minerals in exchange for security, many observers on the continent find such a deal concerning.

Congolese analyst Kambale Musavuli told Africa Now Radio that reports of the possible allocation of billions of dollars worth of minerals to the US, was the “Berlin Conference 2. 0″, referring to the 19th-century meeting during which European powers divided up Africa. Musavuli also bemoaned the lack of accountability for human rights abuses.

Meanwhile, Congolese Nobel laureate Denis Mukwege called the agreement a “scandalous surrender of sovereignty” that validated foreign occupation, exploitation, and decades of impunity.

An unsettling undertone of the deal is “the spectre of resource exploitation, camouflaged as diplomatic triumph”, said political commentator Lindani Zungu, writing in an op-ed for Al Jazeera. “This emerging ‘peace for exploitation’ bargain is one that African nations, particularly the DRC, should never be forced to accept in a postcolonial world order. ”

Meanwhile, for others, the US may be the ones who end up with a raw deal.

KAS’s Kerstan believes Trump’s people may have underestimated the complexities of doing business in the DRC – which has scared off many foreign companies in the past.

Even those who welcome this avenue towards peace acknowledge that the situation remains fragile.

Alexandria Maloney, a senior fellow with the Atlantic Council’s US-based Africa Center, praised the Trump deal for combining diplomacy, development and strategic resource management. However, she warned against extraction without investment in infrastructure, skills and environmental safeguards. “Fragile governance structures in eastern DRC, particularly weak institutional capacity and fragmented local authority, could undercut enforcement or public trust,” Maloney told the think tank’s website.

Furthermore, China’s “entrenched footprint in the DRC’s mining sector may complicate implementation and heighten geopolitical tensions”, she added.

For analysts, the most optimistic assessments about the US’s role in this process appear to say: Thank goodness the Americans stepped in; while the least optimistic say: Are they in over their heads?

Overall, this Congo peace agreement seems to have few supporters outside multilateral diplomatic fora such as the UN and the African Union.

For many, the biggest caution is the exclusion of Congolese people and civil society organisations – which is where previous peace efforts have also failed.

“I have no hopes at all [in this deal],” said Vava Tampa, the founder of grassroots Congolese antiwar charity Save the Congo. “There isn’t much difference between this deal and the dozens of other deals that have been made in the past,” he told Al Jazeera’s Inside Story.

“This deal does two things really: It denies Congolese people – Congolese victims and survivors – justice; and simultaneously it also fuels impunity,” he said, calling instead for an international criminal tribunal for Congo and for perpetrators of violence in both Kigali and Kinshasa to be held accountable.

Ten-piece cottage garden plant set worth £80 now £30 and will add colour to your garden

Decorate your outside space with vibrant colours this summer as an established ten-piece cottage garden plant set is slashed by a whopping £50 in this flash sale

Ten-piece garden plant set worth £80 now £30 and will add colour to your garden(Image: Gardening Express)

Looking for an easy and affordable way to elevate your outdoor area this summer? This Gardening Express sale could be just the ticket. For a limited period of time, a ten-piece Hardy Perennials set is slashed to £29.99 from £79.99, saving shoppers a massive £50.

This set comes stocked with ten Perennials, a plant that no garden should be without. This collection promises to be hassle-free and will grow back year after year, giving a wonderful show in your garden come spring and summer. This cottage garden collection of plants is sure to deliver a riot of colour, making your garden the talk of the neighbourhood.

READ MORE: ‘Elegant and fast-growing’ flamingo tree that adds colour to your patio is 50% off

READ MORE: Add a lavish Mediterranean plant to your patio as this Bougainvillaea tree plummets to £25

TEN Established Cottage Garden Plants
This ten-piece Established Cottage Garden Plants set is reduced by £50(Image: Gardening Express)

These perennials are touted as one of Gardening Express’ specialities. This collection contains a diverse mix of plants suitable for producing an herbaceous border or focal point for gardens or patios.

The ten plants will be selected at random from the brand’s full range, which includes a lucky dip of any of the following: Scabious, Salvias, Nepeta Cat Mint, leucanthemum, Kniphofia, Lavender, Delphiniums, Lupins, Phlox, Campanula, Digitalitis, Hollyhock, Aster, Sedum, Dianthus, Anemone, or any other perennials—all will grow into beautiful flowering plants.

Supplied as established plants grown in approx 1 litre size pots, these perennials will be ready for planting directly into the garden without the need for complicated or time-consuming maintenance. They are also set to flower this year, with some even blooming at the time of delivery, ensuring you get the most out of the radiant and colourful bouquet. Requiring very little care, these plants are perfect for filling gaps in the garden year in, year out.

Normally retailing for £79. 99, shoppers can now pick up this ten-piece set for the majorly reduced price of £29. 99, sporting a massive 63% discount and saving shoppers £50 while this deal lasts.

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For those interested in shopping around, you can pick up a similar Hardy Perennial Plant Lucky Dip from You Garden for £19. 99 or a twelve-piece set from Amazon for £26. 99. Meanwhile, over at Thompson & Morgan, you can find this Everlasting Perennial Collection with prices starting at £19. 99.

Prince William makes heartfelt pledge in mission to help those ‘screwed by society’

During a visit to Sheffield, Prince William teamed up with former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Dragon’s Den star Stephen Bartlett to mark the second anniversary of Homewards – his project to alleviate homelessness –

Prince William has marked two years of his Homewards project (Image: Getty Images)

Prince William has spoken of his mission to alleviate homelessness for thousands of people “screwed by society” by offering them ‘hope’ for the future. The Prince of Wales visited Sheffield today to mark the second anniversary of his ambitious Homewards programme, aimed at making homelessness “rare, brief and unrepeated”.

At an events space in the city centre, William was joined by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Dragon’s Den entrepreneur Stephen Bartlett to celebrate the second anniversary of the Homewards project. William announced a new partnership with the former Labour MP’s Multibank charity, which provides necessities such as toiletries, bedding and clothes for people rehoused after a period of homelessness.

William with former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Dragon's Den star Steven Bartlett
William with former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Dragon’s Den star Steven Bartlett(Image: PA)

William said his aim to extend on more than 100 local initiatives to tackle homelessness across six flagship locations – Aberdeen; Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole; Lambeth; Newport; Northern Ireland and Sheffield – was to being partners from across the private, public and charity sector to achieve his goals.

He said: “Partnership is the key in everything that Homewards stands for. I can tell you very clearly it’s a team game.

“Nothing happens without us all working together and doing things properly. It’s very difficult for the government, it’s difficult for businesses, it’s difficult for the charity sector, partnerships, communities, whatever it is, the whole system gels when it works together.

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“And for me I’ve already seen the power of partnerships over the last couple of years in terms of seeing the public sector and private sector working together and what has struck me is that the private sector really feel like they belong her with Homewards. It’s about bringing as many people into the equation as possible, we’ve all got a part to play and if we all pull on those strings we can make a difference.

“Hope is very important. I feel less hopeful when I’m doing something things by myself. I think as human beings we all want to feel connected and I always think the greatest impact is when we work together. “

Mr Brown congratulated the prince on the charity’s progress since its inception in 2023, adding: “Progress is all about moving forwards together. We are in the business of helping anyone in need. As the Prince of wales said, it is all about hope, potential and talent that can be filled. “

William shares a joke with the former PM
William shares a joke with the former PM (Image: Getty Images)

William added that Homewards’ role in helping people through a mixture of homelessness problems, including getting off the streets or out of temporary accommodation to give them their own place to live, was centred on “calming down the chaos” in their lives.

He said: “Homelessness is about housing, but it’s not just about housing. We have to ask people their problems, find out what has brought them to such a situation. And I’ve seen myself when you can help them calminf down chaos in their lives, it’s such an important part and we take it for granted, but it’s such a huge moment to have that stability.

“I love the idea that we are creating a model that others can copy, because there’s no point creating something brand new that no one can follow. “

William said one strand of the project which was already seeing results is the “employment pathway”, helping those affected by homelessness to find jobs.

He added: “It’s been really important to put the whole jigsaw together because it doesn’t matter how many houses you provide, people won’t stay in them and they won’t feel safe in them.

“Thats what I love about the employment pathway, because many of these people have found themselves for many reasons not of their own making, outside of society.

William visited Meadowhead Secondary School in Sheffield
William visited Meadowhead Secondary School in Sheffield(Image: PA)

“To get them back into society you have to give them the skill set to do that and employment is one of those things where if you can’t find a job, you don’t get skills and you don’t have any skills because you’re at an age when you’re already past your education or training opportunities, you are literally screwed by society unless somebody comes along says I’ll give you a chance and an opportunity and if we are going to sit back and wait for that to happen, it’s going to take a very long time to sort this out. “

As the programme moves into “delivery mode” Homewards today unveiled a new strand of work focused on early intervention to tackle the root causes of homelessness at a school in Sheffield.

The new initiative surveys young people to identify those who are at greater risk of homelessness and provides them with the support they and their families need at the earliest possible point. ‘Upstream’ is modelled on the Australian Geelong Project, which saw a 40 per cent reduction in youth homelessness and a 20 per cent reduction in the number of young people leaving school early.

Meadowhead School and Sixth Form, which is taking part in a project to intervene early before homelessness sets in
Meadowhead School and Sixth Form, which is taking part in a project to intervene early before homelessness sets in(Image: Getty Images)

After the panel, entrepreneur Stephen Bartlett, 32, praised the Prince for “changing attitudes to homelessness” to help those caught in a cycle of being unable to find a place to live.

Bartlett, who became an advocate for the programme last year told how a recent trip with the Prince to Aberdeen “completely changed my perception” of the issue. He said: “If you’re aiming at the wrong target you’re never going to hit the bullseye and your solutions will be ineffective.

“I came into this partnership thinking homelessness was an issue of housing but then I got to meet the young people at risk of homelessness and I was stunned into silence.

“Everything they said were things I would have never thought, not that they couldn’t find jobs or a skills shortage, it was a myriad of different things such as confidence, family issues, mental health challenges, which just proves it’s a complicated issue.

William with headteacher Kam Grewal-Joy and Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson
William with headteacher Kam Grewal-Joy and Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson(Image: PA)

“In realising that it’s a complicated issue you need partners to come together which is what Homewards is trying to do. why we need partners to come to come together which has given me hope we can make a difference. “

Mr Brown said: “I think he’s changing people’s views. He has shown his passion, his dedication and his commitment. I know he was influenced by his mother at a very early age but he really believes that we have to do something about the problems of people who for whatever reason are left behind and lose out, but where we can help we must.

“I see this charity that he has created going from strength to strength and we are only at the beginning of what I think is going to be a very big success story. “

Afterwards, the Prince shook hands with hundreds of pupils at Meadowhead School and Sixth Form, which is taking part in a project to intervene early before homelessness sets in. The school, the second-largest in Sheffield, is piloting the Upstream project, which is led by Homewards.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, whose mother Clare set up the domestic violence charity Wearside Women in Need, was on site to greet the prince and joined him for a roundtable about Upstream.

William also joined an awareness workshop led by Roundabout, a local youth homelessness charity, with a class of Year 9 pupils. Throughout the school visit, William was cheered by hundreds of flag-waving pupils, many of whom looked delighted when they got to shake his hand.

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Afterwards, school head Kam Grewal-Joy said: “We were not expecting that he would take so much time with the pupils. It was amazing, he shook hands and spent time with so many of them, it meant a lot to our school community. “

Top seed Sinner cruises into Wimbledon second round

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Wimbledon 2025

Venue: All England Club Dates: 30 June-13 July

World number one Jannik Sinner cruised into the second round at Wimbledon with a dominant straight-set win over fellow Italian Luca Nardi.

Contesting his first Grand Slam match since losing one of the all-time great French Open finals to Carlos Alcaraz last month, the top seed lost just seven games as he dismissed 95th-ranked Nardi.

The 23-year-old, a three-time major winner, comprehensively outclassed his opponent in a 6-4 6-3 6-0 victory on Court One.

After completing an efficient victory in one hour and 48 minutes on the UK’s hottest day of the year, Sinner will face Australian Aleksandar Vukic next.

“New tournament, new chances, new challenges,” Sinner said, reflecting on his French Open loss.

“You have one opponent at a time, so obviously I try to keep going and enjoy playing here.

Nardi, 21, offered resistance in the first set and managed to escape the first five break points he faced.

But it was not long before Sinner asserted himself.

Eventually taking his seventh opportunity to clinch the breakthrough and capture the first set, Sinner carried that momentum into the second as he raced into a 3-0 lead.

The gulf between the players became increasingly apparent as the match wore on, with Nardi unable to live with Sinner’s devastating combination of pace, power and precision hitting.

While the second set lasted less than 40 minutes, the third barely stretched beyond 20 as Sinner sealed victory with a third-set whitewash.

Sinner ended the match with 28 winners compared with just 17 unforced errors as he demonstrated why he has reached at least the quarter-finals at Wimbledon for the past three years.

This performance was achieved despite his only pre-Wimbledon grass-court tournament at the Halle Open being cut short by a surprise second-round loss to Alexander Bublik.

Also in the men’s draw, Italian seventh seed Lorenzo Musetti suffered a surprise first-round loss to qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili, of Georgia.

Musetti, a Wimbledon semi-finalist last year, was beaten 6-2 4-6 7-5 6-1 on court two.

He becomes the third top-10 seed to fall at the All England Club, after Danish eighth seed Holger Rune and Russian ninth seed Daniil Medvedev both exited the tournament on Monday.

American fifth seed Taylor Fritz returned to complete a five-set comeback victory after his match against Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard was suspended late on Monday.

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Arsenal sign goalkeeper Kepa from Chelsea for £5m

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Arsenal have completed the £5m signing of goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea.

Spain international Kepa joins the Gunners on a three-year deal after spending last term on loan at Bournemouth, where he made 35 appearances in all competitions.

“I’m really, really happy to be here, really excited and looking forward to what is coming,” he said.

“The ambition that is shown in this club, when I talk with Mikel [Arteta] and Inaki [Cana], how much they show me their desire to win… I think we are so close to winning and, hopefully, altogether, we can achieve it. “

The 30-year-old is still the world’s most expensive goalkeeper, having moved to the Blues in 2018 from boyhood club Athletic Bilbao for £71m.

His arrival at the Emirates will provide competition for his compatriot David Raya.

Neto was on loan at Arsenal from the Cherries during the 2024-25 campaign but they elected not to sign the Brazilian on a permanent basis.

Kepa played 163 times for Chelsea and was in the squads that lifted the Champions League, Europa League and Club World Cup.

Victim of his price tag at Chelsea – analysis

Kepa was a victim of his £71m price tag at Chelsea.

He was deemed the best possible option when Thibaut Courtois forced his exit from the Blues in 2018 and Alisson turned down Chelsea to join Liverpool.

Athletic Club then forced the Blues to pay Kepa’s full release clause.

After his wobble early in his Chelsea career, Kepa quickly proved he was not worth either the fee nor his previous £190,000-a-week wages.

However, he was still highly respected behind the scenes. He was rated as a top professional, a good squad member and a positive character – despite his strange episode in refusing to be substituted in the Carabao Cup final in 2019.

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Lana Del Rey Wembley – Stage times, banned items and setlist

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Lana Del Rey’s London tour dates this week – from set times, to banned items and the likely set list

Lana Del Rey performs live on stage at Principality Stadium on June 23, 2025 in Cardiff, Wales.(Image: Photo by Joseph Okpako/Getty Images for ABA)

Lana Del Rey is heading to London this week for two huge shows at Wembley Stadium. The tour that has led the US songstress from Cardiff to Liverpool and Dublin will reach its close in the capital this weekend.

If you’re lucky enough to have tickets, here’s everything you need to know before venturing down to north-west London from the likely setlist to the all important stage times and how to really make the most of your trip.

Stage times

Doors will open at 5pm

What time does the Lana del Rey concert start at Wembley?

Stage times: Addison Rae 19:15

After being joined by London Grammar at her concert in Cardiff and by Banks in Glasgow, Liverpool and Dublin, Lana del Rey will be supported by Addison Rae for her two Wembley Stadium shows.

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Lana Del Rey 20:30 (Thu) / 21:00 (Fri)

What time does the Lana del Rey concert end?

22:30 (Thu), 22:45 (Fri)

Setlist

The precise setlist is currently under wraps, but that hasn’t stopped fans sharing their predictions on what they might hear when they see Lana del Rey at Wembley Stadium. Some of the favourite predictions include:

A&W

Serial Killer

Shades of Cool

Sad Girl

West Coast

Lighthouse

Summertime Sadness

Prettiest Girl in Country Music

Venice Bitch

Honeymoon

Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Boulevard?

Ride

Margaret

Jealous Girl

Let the Light in

How to get to Wembley Park on the tube

Wembley Park offers a range of travel options, including three stations and three tube lies. As the area is so well-connected, it is an easy journey from central London, as well as further afield. Wembley Park is in Zone 4 and you can easily travel by London Underground to see Lana del Rey in Wembley.

The official TFL (Transport for London) website can help you plan your tube journey, estimating journey times and advising of any current station closures or other disruption.

London Underground lines that go to Wembley Park include:

  • Jubilee Line: This takes you to Wembley Park station.
  • Metropolitan Line: This serves Wembley Park station as well. The journey time from Baker Street is just 12 minutes.
  • Bakerloo Line: This takes you to Wembley Central Station. It’s a great choice for connections from Paddington, Charing Cross and Waterloo.
  • London Overground Line: This serves Wembley Central Station. Trains from Clapham Junction take as little as 22 minutes.

Tube station services this July:

  • Wembley Park station: No disruptions reported.
  • Wembley Central station: No disruptions reported.

Example distances from the tube stations in Wembley Park:

  • Bond Street: 19 minutes via Jubilee Line (from Wembley Park station)
  • King’s Cross: 20 minutes via Metropolitan Line (from Wembley Park station)
  • Paddington: 24 minutes via Bakerloo Line (from Wembley Central station)
  • London Bridge: 27 minutes via Jubilee Line (from Wembley Park station)
  • Liverpool Street: 30 minutes via Metropolitan Line (from Wembley Park station)
  • Charing Cross: 30 minutes via Bakerloo Line (from Wembley Central station)

Pricing information:

From 2 March 2025, the peak fare to travel to Wembley Park from Zone 1 is £4. 60, while the off-peak fare is £3. 40.

Wembley Stadium location:

  • 10 minutes’ walk from Wembley Park tube station
  • 22 minutes’ walk from Wembley Central tube station
  • 34 minutes’ walk from North Wembley tube station

Accessing Wembley Stadium:

Once you arrive by tube, it’s a quick walk from Wembley Park station to Wembley Stadium via Olympic Way. You can see the stadium in front of you as you walk, so be sure to snap a selfie or two on the way.

When you leave the stadium after the concert, please note that average wait times to enter Wembley Park station can range from 15 to 60 minutes.

Alternative routes:

If you plan to avoid the post-concert crowds, you can walk to either Wembley Central or North Wembley station. The Bakerloo line and overground trains serve both stations.

 Lana Del Rey performs live on stage at Principality Stadium on June 23, 2025 in Cardiff, Wales.
Lana Del Rey performs live on stage at Principality Stadium on June 23, 2025 in Cardiff, Wales.(Image: Photo by Joseph Okpako/Getty Images for ABA)

Bag Policy

Wembley Stadium’s bag policy says you cannot take any bag larger than an A4 piece of paper (H 297mm, W 210mm and D 210mm) into the venue. Check the dimensions of your bag before you leave the house, as you won’t be able to enter the stadium if your bag is oversize.

What Items Are Prohibited Inside the Stadium?

Note that several items are prohibited from Wembley Stadium, including selfie sticks, pushchairs, umbrellas, alcohol and food and drink (amongst others), so all visitors are advised to read up on what is permitted in advance.

Official Merch

Buying yourself some official Lana del Rey merch is a lovely way to remember her 2025 concert. If you buy it in Wembley Stadium, the merch will come in a clear plastic bag. If you buy it outside the stadium, it will come in a sealed clear plastic bag, which you must leave sealed until you’re inside the stadium.

There will be Lana Del Ray 2025 Tour merchandise stands on Olympic Way and at other key locations in Wembley Park. You can find directions to these on the digital wayfinding signs around the neighbourhood. Based on items available on Lana’s website, tour merchandise could include t-shirts, hoodies and music.

How to make Lana’s concerts extra special

On 1st July 2025, Wembley Park is hosting an incredible, open-air orchestral concert, from 7-8pm. Free to attend, Lana Del Rey: The String Sessions will be performed by the City String Ensemble as part of Wembley Park’s Summer Rocks event series. The renowned string quartet will perform captivating cinematic versions of some of Lana’s most popular hits at the Sound Shell in Wembley Park’s Samovar Space, with the famous Wembley Stadium arch as a backdrop. No tickets are required – simply turn up and enjoy. Seating is provided on a first-come, first-served basis. The full Summer Rocks programme includes a season-long series of free events, from a wellness festival and outdoor art classes to weekend live music performances marking 10 years of Busk in London.

On Lana’s concert days, BOXPARK Wembley is hosting the official Lana del Rey Wembley fanpark for her 2025 London concert dates. Amazing entertainment, drinks specials and more will all serve to get you into the party atmosphere and warm up your vocal cords before the gig.

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