Stade de France (Saint-Denis)

Stade de France is the national stadium of France, located just north of Paris in the commune of Saint-Denis. Its seating capacity of 80,698 makes it the eighth-largest stadium in Europe. The stadium is used by the France national football team and French rugby union team for international competition. It is the largest in Europe for track and field events, seating 78,338 in that configuration. Despite that, the stadium’s running track is mostly hidden under the football pitch.

Originally built for the 1998 FIFA World Cup, the stadium’s name was recommended by Michel Platini, head of the organising committee. On 12 July 1998, France defeated Brazil 3–0 in the 1998 FIFA World Cup Final contested at the stadium. It will host the opening and closing ceremonies and the athletics events at the 2024 Summer Olympics. It will also host matches for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

General information

Official website: https://www.stadefrance.com/en

Arena capacity: 80,698 spectators

Address: 93200 Saint-Denis, France

GPS coordinates for the navigator: 48°55′28″N 2°21′36″E

Year of construction: 2 May 1995

Construction cost: €290 million

Field: GrassMaster by Tarkett Sports with dimensions of 119 m × 75 m (130 yd × 82 yd)

Seating plan of Stade de France

When choosing a place in the stadium, use the Stade de France scheme above.

Where to buy tickets?

No club team currently occupies the Stade de France as Paris Saint-Germain play their home matches at the Parc des Princes. Ticket for matches of the French national team can be bought online on the Stade de France website (which also sells rugby tickets), and the website of the French Football Federation.

How to download your e-ticket?

Your e-tickets available in your account! Your e-tickets will not be sent as an attachment to an email; instead they will be available in your account on www.stadefrance.com

Your e-tickets must be printed out! It will not be possible to collect your tickets at Stade de France on event day. That’s why you must imperatively print them at home, at a friend’s or in a cybercafé.

Sign in

1. Create your account. During the booking process, the system asked you to create an account so that your tickets could be retrieved from your account. You then will receive a generic email containing your login and password, which you will need to log in to your account. So you do not need to create an account once again when you will want to print your tickets.
2. Log in to your account. To log in to your account, click on the “My Account” button. In the event that you are not in the right section (Individuals), please click on “Private Individuals” at the top of the page. If you have a Facebook account, it is possible for you to go to your account directly from it. This will help to synchronise your data and will simplify your connections.
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Download your e-tickets

1. Get your tickets. Click on “My Account” to show the pull-down menu listing the various functionalities. You will then enter your account, which you may update if you wish via the “Profile” section.
2. Download your e-tickets. So your e-tickets are now available to be downloaded and then printed. Simply click on “print” and then indicate the recipients of your e-tickets. It is thus possible to print your e-tickets whenever you wish, using the printer at your home or office (as you would do with any other document). Those tickets may be printed anytime up to the day of the event.
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3. Send your e-tickets. You can also email the e-tickets to your friends and family. To do so, simply save them on your computer (PC or MAC) and send them as an email attachment. The recipients can then just rpint them at home and show them for admission to Stade de France on event day, where the barcode will be scanned as it is for every spectator’s ticket.

How to get there?

Stade de France is a Public Transport Destination and we recommend that anyone coming to an event uses public transport. Please find enclosed helpful information on Getting to Stade de France.

Using public transport

RER (Suburban train) B: La Plaine Stade de France station:

• 4 mins from Gare du Nord and 8 mins from Châtelet;
• One train every 3 mins depending on events;
• Last train at 12:41 am.

RER (Suburban train) D: Stade de France – St Denis station:

• 5 mins from Gare du Nord and 9 mins from Châtelet;
• One train every 6 mins depending on events;
• Last train at 12:31 am.

Underground line 13: St Denis – Porte de Paris station:

• 16 mins from Saint-Lazare station, 20 mins from Invalides and 25 mins from Montparnasse;
• One train every 3 mins depending on events;
• Last train at 1:40 am on Fridays and Saturdays, and at 12:40 am on other days.

Tramway:

• n°1 (St Denis Basilique stop);
• n°8 (St Denis Porte de Paris stop).

By car

No parking tickets are sold on D DAY. You must imperatively purchase your ticket in advance on this website.

Purchasing your parking spot is very easy!

A1 motorway (N°2 exit ‘Stade de France’ ) and A86 motorway (N°9 exit ‘Saint Denis – La Plaine Stade de France.

Please note: On event day, access to Stade de France is restricted. Only authorised vehicles and/or those displaying a parking ticket will be allowed to park. (You may purchase a parking ticket at the same time as you purchase your event ticket).

Car parks open from 8 am to 1 am for evening events, and from 8 am to 9 pm for matinees.

All car parks at Stade de France are located near the arena.

If you have the choice, here is a list of the suggested car parks for each gate:

• gates N, R, S, T, U, X, Y = P1;
• gates H, J, K, L, N, R = P2;
• gates Z, A, B, C, D, E, G, H, J, K = P3.

By bike or motorcycle

Free spots are available in the street:

• Esplanade de l’Ecluse (north of the Stadium, by the footbridge leading to the underground (line 13));
• Near P4 parking (south of the Stadium, on Rue El Ouafi, facing P4);
• Rue Henri Delaunay pavement is suitable for vehicles, leading towards Place du Cornillon (behind Decathlon).

Parking info

Book your parking ticket, relax and sit back during the events!

You may purchase a parking spot via the website stadefrance.com and take advantage of a bunch of benefits: immediate proximity to the stadium, a guaranteed spot inside a covered facility, as well as assistance and security throughout the duration of the event.

The parkings are open from 8 am to 2 am for the events in the evening and from 8 am to 9 pm for the events in the afternoon. Parking areas for motorcycles are also available, indoors at the car rate, or outdoors for free. There is an outdoor car park suitable for larger vehicles (P4 parking).

Where to eat?

The area around Stade de France is certainly not a highlight of France. It is a mix of the typical residential suburb, low-rise office parks, and industrial estates, and there is little entertainment around.

It is a short metro ride from Paris’ city centre to the stadium though, so focus your eating and drinking on the many options available in the centre.

If you do wish to stay as close as possible to the stadium, e.g. to avoid the queuing for public transport after a match, then there are few hotels around, many of the typical mid-level chain type.

There is a Novotel right opposite the stadium. It gets decent reviews, though expect to pay at least €100.00. There is also an almost similarly priced Ibis Hotel near metro station La Plaine, and the Adagio Access hotel near station Stade de France.

For those on a budget, Hotel Campanile is the most affordable option, though this means a bit of a walk in return. If you have more money to spend, then the Courtyard by Marriott will likely have your preference.

If you prefer to stay in Paris’ city centre but want to have easy transport connections to the stadium, then staying near Gare du Nord is an option. Remember that areas around large railway stations tend to get slightly dodgy at night, in which case you might also want to consider a hotel at walking distance toward the Montmartre area. Staying near Gare Saint-Lazare also gives you easy transport options, but hotels tend to be pricier in this area.

History

The discussion of a national stadium in France came about as a result of the country’s selection to host the 1998 FIFA World Cup on 2 July 1992. As a result of the selection, the country and the France Football Federation made a commitment to construct an 80,000+ capacity all-seater stadium with every seat in the facility being covered. It was the first time in over 70 years since the construction of the Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir that a stadium in France was being constructed for a specific event. Due to the magnitude and importance of the facility, the Council of State was allowed first hand approach to how the stadium would be constructed and paid for.

The Council sought for the stadium to be built as close as possible to the capital of France, Paris, and that the constructor and operator of the facility would receive significant financial contribution for a period of 30 months following the completion of the stadium. The stadium’s design was handled by the team of architects composed of Michel Macary, Aymeric Zublena, Regembal Michel, and Claude Costantini who were associated with CR SCAU Architecture.

The stadium was officially ready for construction following the government’s selection of manufacturers, Bouygues, Dumez, and SGE, and the signing of building permits on 30 April 1995. With only 31 months to complete the stadium, construction commenced on 2 May 1995. The laying of the first cornerstone took place five months later on 6 September. After over a year of construction, over 800,000m ² of earthworks had been created and as much as 180,000 m³ of concrete had been poured. The installation of the roof, which cost €45 million, and the mobile platform also took more than a year to complete.

During the developmental phase, the stadium was referred to in French as the Grand Stade (“large stadium” or “great stadium”). On 4 December 1995, the Ministry of Sport launched a design competition to decide on a name for the stadium. The stadium was officially named the Stade de France after the Ministry heard a proposal from French football legend Michel Platini, who recommended the name.

The stadium was inaugurated on 28 January 1998 as it hosted a football match between France and Spain. The total cost of the stadium was approximately €290 million. The match was played in front of 78,368 spectators, which included President Jacques Chirac, with France winning the match 1–0 with Zinedine Zidane scoring the lone goal, and the first-ever in the Stade de France, in the 20th minute. Six months later, France returned to the stadium and defeated Brazil in the 1998 FIFA World Cup Final to earn their first World Cup title.

Stade de France has hosted group, quarter-final, semi-final and the final match of 1998 FIFA World Cup. The national rugby team’s first match in the facility was contested five days after its opening, on 2 February, with France earning a 24–17 win over England in front of 77,567 spectators. Philippe Bernat-Salles converted the first ever try at the stadium scoring it in the 11th minute of play.

On 24 May 2000, the Stade de France hosted the 2000 UEFA Champions League Final. In the match, which saw 78,759 spectators attend, Spanish club Real Madrid defeated fellow Spaniards Valencia 3–0. In 2003, the Stade de France was the primary site of the 2003 World Championships in Athletics. Three years later in 2006, the facility hosted another UEFA Champions League final with another Spanish club Barcelona defeating England’s Arsenal 2–1. On 9 May 2009, the Stade de France set the national attendance record for a sporting match played in France with 80,832 showing up to watch Guingamp upset Brittany rivals Rennes 2–1 in the 2009 Coupe de France Final. On 22 May 2010, the Stade de France hosted the 2010 Heineken Cup Final. On 11 February 2012, a Six Nations international rugby game between France and Ireland had to be cancelled just before kick-off due to the pitch freezing as the stadium lacks under-soil heating.

On 13 November 2015, in one of a series of coordinated shootings and bombings across Paris, the Stade de France was targeted with explosions occurring outside the stadium during an international friendly between France and Germany, with French President François Hollande in attendance. The terrorist, however, was unable to enter the stadium.

In 2016, the Stade de France was used as the central stadium for the 2016 Euros hosting seven matches. The stadium was used for the opening ceremony of the tournament which saw French DJ David Guetta perform at the stadium. At the end of his set, Guetta invited Swedish singer Zara Larsson on stage to perform the tournament’s official song – “This One’s for You”. Following the ceremony the stadium was used for the tournament’s opening game which saw France beat Romania 2-1. Across the next month, the stadium was used for six other tournament matches including the UEFA Euro 2016 Final between France and Portugal. The match followed the closing ceremony which again saw David Guetta perform. Portugal defeated France in extra time by one goal to nill and lifted the tournament trophy for the first time.