Stade de France

About

Stade de France (French pronunciation: [stad də fʁɑ̃s], lit. 'Stadium of France') is the national stadium of France, located just north of Paris in the commune of Saint-Denis. Its seating capacity of 81,338 makes it the largest stadium in France. The stadium is used by the French national football team and rugby union teams for international competitions. It is the largest in Europe for athletics events, seating 77,083 in that configuration. During other events, the stadium's running track is mostly hidden under the grandstands. Initially built for the 1998 FIFA World Cup and the 2008 Summer Olympics failed bid the stadium's name was recommended by Michel Platini, head of the organizing committee. On 12 July 1998, France beat Brazil 3–0 in the 1998 FIFA World Cup final held at the stadium. The Stadium was a key player in the success of the city's bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympics and also the Paralympics and in addition to hosting athletics and the closing ceremonies of both events. The stadium was rugby sevens venue during the Olympic Games. Stade de France, listed as a Category 4 stadium by UEFA, hosted matches at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, the UEFA Champions League finals in 2000, 2006 and 2022. It has as well hosted the 1999, 2007 and 2023 Rugby World Cups, making it one of only two stadia in the world to have hosted both a FIFA World Cup final and a rugby union World C

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.