Stade de France

All visiting supporters are unlikely to be confined to a single section of the stadium. Since the ground hosts the domestic matches with an equal split, it isn’t easy to define an away section on this ground. If the travelling contingent is significant, additional blocks of seats will be allocated at one of the goal ends. Stade de France manages to offer world-class facilities.

Stade de France is the official home of the French national team and is one of the biggest stadiums in the world. Constructed in 1988, this colossal structure ended up costing close to €300 million, but it has been worth the time and effort.

This ground stands tall as one of the largest in Europe, with a capacity of over 80,000. The stadium was constructed primarily for the 1998 World Cup, but it has since served the French national team in various capacities. Stade de France is also the home of the national rugby team.

Paris is an extremely vibrant city with several options for food, drink, and stay. A visiting supporter is likely to be spoilt for choice considering the immense possibilities, which run into the thousands quite easily. Some of the top pubs that away supporters can visit would be:

Little Temple Bar

This is a place named after the iconic drinking location in Dublin. There is plenty of Guinness on offer while supporters can also watch matches on large television screens.

Eden Park

This place was started in 1992 and it offers an excellent option for watching sports. The menu is good, the wines are excellent, and there is also a happy hour to boost.

By car

Situated in the heart of France, Stade de France is a well-developed destination to reach by car. The stadium is about 10 km away from the Paris city centre. There are detailed instructions on the directions and exits to follow to get to the stadium. One must be prepared for some intense traffic and driving on the way to the stadium, as the city is quite notorious in this regard. There are two motorways – A1 and A86 – located close to the stadium. For those on the A1, exit 2 must be used, while exit 9 is applicable for those on the A86.

Where to park

After getting to the stadium, one has to purchase a parking ticket, while a car park booking page can also be accessed from the official site. The car park will be open for specific times of the day, depending on the event type.

By train or metro

The train network in Paris is excellent, and this also applies to the suburban network. One can reach the Stade de France from various parts of Paris using the extensive suburban rail network. It takes around four minutes to get from Gare du Nord to the La Plaine Stade de France, while it is just 10 minutes from Châtelet. For those planning to come from the St Denis station, the journey will only take five minutes.

The closest station to the stadium is the Saint-Denis – Porte de Paris. This is on the Light Blue line 13. Paris is extremely well-connected with all parts of Europe, and there are even several high-speed train networks. It only takes a few hours to reach the city from most parts of Europe.

Stade de France is always open to the public for tours and, of course, on specific days. As you go behind the scenes of France’s largest sporting facility for at least 1 hour and  30 minutes, you get a rare chance to experience the stadium’s atmosphere in its splendour and glory.

From the players’ changing rooms, a walk down the tunnel, and a pitch-side view of hallowed grounds, Stade de France has a rich history behind its famed name.

From hosting the FIFA World Cup, high-profile European football contests, sold-out music concerts, to the Olympics, there is plenty to learn about the venue. Tour guides at the venue will answer questions about Stade de France, including those that touch on its unique architecture and stars who have set foot on the pitch.

Here are the current ticket prices for the touring Stade de France:

• Adults – €16
• Children aged between 15 and 18 years – €11
• Reduced price for two adults + two children – €44

Note that tours at Stade de France are available in major European languages such as English, Spanish, Dutch and German.

No tours of the stadium are conducted during events.

Visit the official Stade de France website for additional information, including contact numbers, tour schedules and email addresses.

Being one of the biggest stadiums in the world means Stade de France doesn’t just host football matches but also other sports and events such as music concerts.

This year, several concerts are scheduled to be staged at the venue, such as:

Ninho concert

French rapper Ninho is scheduled to perform at Stade de France on 2 May and 3 May 2025. Tickets for the first day of the concert sold out within six hours as soon as they were released.

DJ Snake at Stade de France

DJ Snake’s final show at the stadium is scheduled for 10 May 2025. Due to high demand, additional tickets for the concert have been released.

Beyonce

As part of her Cowboy Carter Tour this year, Beyond will perform at Stade de France between 19 June and 11 June 2025. The show will feature songs from Beyonce’s Grammy-winning album. Ticket sales for this big music concert began in February 2025.

Having been constructed ahead of the 1998 FIFA World Cup and consequently becoming a preferred home stadium for the French national team, no doubt Stade de France has accommodated massive numbers of spectators in recent years.

Here is a breakdown of the statistics:

• 9 May 2009: 80,832, Guingamp vs Rennes Coupe de France finals.
• 1998 FIFA World Cup Final: 80,000, France vs Brazil.
•  2016 UEFA Euro Final: 80,000, France vs Portugal.
• 1 April 2009: 79,543: France vs Lithuania.
• 28 January 1998: 78, 268, France vs Spain friendly match.

On 24 May 2025, the French national stadium will host the Coupe de France, marking the 29th time it will have done so since the 1997/98 season. PSG and Reims are set to clash in the French Cup finals. It will be the fourth time that Reims play in the finals since 1950, so we could see another attendance record set at the French National Stadium on 24 May.