Dublin's Aviva Stadium has been home to the Republic of Ireland's national football and rugby teams since 2010, and fans from around the world have visited the unique ground for everything from sporting events to concerts.
The most famous night at the Aviva in recent times took place back on November 13, when Ireland bolstered their 2026 World Cup hopes with a memorable 2-0 win over Portugal in qualifying.
AZ Alkmaar striker Troy Parrott scored a brace to bag the three points for the Boys in Green, while Cristiano Ronaldo received a straight red card for throwing a blatant elbow, compounding his side's woes.
The stadium's 2026 calendar features highlight events across both football and rugby, including Six Nations clashes against Italy, Wales and Scotland across February and March that are expected to attract thousands to the 51,711-capacity arena.
Read on as Football Ground Guide answers one of the most common questions visitors have about the ground: Why is one end of the Aviva Stadium so low?
What is the Aviva Stadium?
The Aviva Stadium is a multi-purpose facility that is the home of both the Irish rugby and football teams – the pair have an equal-split joint ownership lease on the site until 2070.
Officially opened in 2010 to replace its predecessor, Lansdowne Road Stadium, it has an impressive capacity of 51,700 and makes for a lively venue.
Despite being a relatively new ground, the Aviva Stadium has plenty of history regarding hosting important football matches. Over the years, countless domestic fixtures have been played on its pitch, as well as two separate Europa League finals, the first being in 2011 and the most recent in 2023.
It is an extremely versatile stadium, and American football has also been played on the site a handful of times.
Why is one end so low at the Aviva Stadium?
Let's all look forward to 2030 world cup qualifying. Horrible result tonight
— Fra (@fragillen) September 6, 2025
With football stadiums seemingly growing every year, residents in the respective local areas surrounding these grounds are becoming increasingly worried about the effect this has on their homes.
As a result, the Aviva Stadium was designed with one end of the ground being far lower than the other, and a construction decision was made to limit the ground's imposition on the residents.
Specifically, the venue's North Stand is much lower than the other three stands, all of which house the seats of choice for supporters keen on having the best view of the pitch.
Therefore, it is an incredibly unique stadium that provides a matchday experience different from the vast majority of other grounds in world football.
