Stade de France facts for kids
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| Full name | Stade de France |
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| Location | ZAC du Cornillon Nord Saint-Denis, France |
| Coordinates | 48°55′28″N 2°21′36″E / 48.92444°N 2.36000°E |
| Public transit |   Saint-Denis – Porte de Paris  Stade de France – Saint-Denis  La Plaine – Stade de France |
| Owner | Consortium Stade de France |
| Operator | Consortium Stade de France |
| Executive suites | 172 |
| Capacity | 80,698 (football, rugby) 75,000 (athletics) |
| Field size | 119 m × 75 m (130 yd × 82 yd) |
| Surface | GrassMaster by Tarkett Sports |
| Construction | |
| Built | 2 May 1995 |
| Opened | 28 January 1998 |
| Construction cost | €290 million |
| Architect | Michel Macary Aymeric Zublena Michel Regembal Claude Constantini |
| Tenants | |
| France national football team (1998–present) France national rugby union team (1998–present) Stade Français (selected matches) Racing 92 (selected matches) |
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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.
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 and 2006, and the 1999 and 2007 Rugby World Cup, making it the only stadium in the world to have hosted both a Football World Cup final and a rugby union World Cup final. It also hosted seven matches at UEFA Euro 2016, including the final, where France lost to Portugal 1-0 after extra-time. The facility also hosted the Race of Champions auto race in 2004, 2005, and 2006. The stadium hosted the 2003 World Championships in Athletics and from 1999 to 2016 it hosted the annual Meeting Areva athletics meet.
Domestically, the Stade de France serves as a secondary home facility of Parisian rugby clubs Stade Français and Racing Métro 92, hosting a few of their regular-season fixtures. The stadium also hosts the main French domestic cup finals, which include the Coupe de France (both football and rugby), Coupe de la Ligue, Challenge de France, and the Coupe Gambardella, as well as the Top 14 rugby union championship match.
The facility is owned and operated by the Consortium Stade de France.
Images for kids
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The Stade de France visible from central Paris behind the Sacré-Cœur
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The opening ceremony of the 2016 European Football Championship
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Stade de France with uncovered athletics track during the 2003 World Championships
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The last part of the metallic construction of the roof, 1997
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Visitors changing rooms
See also
In Spanish: Estadio de Francia para niños
