Stade Vélodrome

Infobox_Stadium
stadium_name = Stade Vélodrome
nickname =


caption = Stade Vélodrome entrance
fullname = Stade Vélodrome
location = Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône, France
built = 1937
opened = June 1937
renovated = 1984 and 1998
closed =
demolished =
owner = City of Marseille
operator =
surface = Grass
construction_cost =
architect = Henri Ploquin
former_names =
tenants =
Olympique de Marseille
seating_capacity =
60,031
dimensions =

The Stade Vélodrome is a 60,031 capacity stadium in Marseille, France. It is the home ground of top French football club Olympique de Marseille and was also a venue in the 1998 FIFA World Cup. It is the largest club football ground in France. The stadium is also used regularly by the French rugby union team.

The record attendance for a club game at the Stade Vélodrome was of 58,897, for a UEFA Cup semi-final against Newcastle United in 2004. The stadium also featured as a Football World Cup venue when the 1938 finals were held in France. The first ever match to be played was between Marseille and Torino in 1937. There are plans to increase the capacity to 80,000 and build a roof to cover all four stands, plans that are contingent on a possible sale of the Football Club. The stadium was used for the 2007 Rugby World Cup.

The French rugby union team started an impressive run of victories at the stadium in the early 2000s. In November 2000 they defeated the All Blacks 42 to 33, the following year defeating Australia by one point. In 2002 one match was played there again, a win over the Springboks, which was followed by a win over England in 2003. However, their run of luck was broken in 2004, when they lost 14 to 24 to Argentina.

1938 FIFA World Cup matches

1998 FIFA World Cup matches

References and external links

* [http://www.om.net/fr/Club/502001/Stade_Velodrome Stadium page on official club website] (in French)
* [http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/EN/Destination+France/Marseille/ Destination Marseille] - rugbyworldcup.com fb start 1998 FIFA World Cup Venues fb end