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Euro 2008 stadia
06/06/2008 11:31 - (SA)
Vienna - Guide to the stadia hosting matches at Euro 2008, which is being co-hosted by Austria and Switzerland and runs from June 7-29.
AUSTRIA:
Vienna - Ernst Happel Stadium
Will host the final with a larger than normal capacity of 51,000 thanks to additional stands being put in on athletics track. Has had 37 million euros spent on refurbishing it. It is named after legendary former Austrian player Ernst Happel, who also guided the Dutch to the 1978 World Cup final where they lost to hosts Argentina. Has hosted four European Cup finals.
Klagenfurt - Wortherseestadion
Built in just under two years this 32,000 seater stadium which cost roughly 57 million euros will be reduced to 12,000 after the finals. Has earned the nickname 'The UFO' from locals and supporters of football side Karnten. There have been fears raised over fan trouble with Germany, Croatia and Poland all playing group games there.
Salzburg - Stadion Salzburg Wals-Siezenheim
Home to the heavily funded Austrian championship side Red Bull Salzburg it will host all of titleholders Greece's group games. Capacity of 30,500 is one of the more picturesque grounds and spectators will not go hungry as it has several restaurants in its vicinity. For those of a more cultured taste they won't have to go far to visit the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Innsbruck - Stadion Tivoli Neu
A town more used to hosting Winter Olympic Games - in 1964 and 1976 - it has seen a rare success for Austria of late in the footballing world as they beat African giants Ivory Coast 3-2 in late 2007. Has increased its capacity to 30,000 and will host games of Spain, Swede and Russia.
SWITZERLAND:
Zurich - Letzigrund Stadion
Just like the Swiss outstanding reputation for every type of clock from cuckoo to watches so the building of this stadium went just like that as it was built in a year at an overall cost of around 60 million euros. Italy, France and Romania will play at the ground which got the nod ahead of the more established Hardturm, who hosted the 1954 World Cup.
Basel - St Jakob-Park
Not exactly the place you would associate with an old people's home, but 107 of Switzerland's senior citizens are lodged beside the stadium. Nonetheless it is the biggest stadium the Swiss are holding matches at with a 42,000 capacity and will host the opening match and one of the semi-finals. Cost nearly 140 million euros when it was built in 2001 and comes from the same architects that built the Olympic Stadium in Beijing.
Berne - Stade de Suisse Wankdorf
Normally it is known as the managerial hotseat but at this 32,000 capacity stadium one spectator is literally set apart from the others as he or she is in the one red seat in the house as a mark of honour as apart from the rest of the seats which are in black and yellow. For those of a sweet tooth vein - more than likely to be Dutch as they are playing all their group games there - then they should not be disappointed as the factory that makes Toblerone is a stone's throw away. In its previous identity it played host to the 1954 World Cup final where West Germany downed the favourites Hungary.
Geneva - Stade de Geneve
Multi-tasked stadium which has seen both football and amazingly given Switzerland's lack of rugby knowledge a European Cup match between Irish giants Munster and French outfit Bourgoin. Will host Portugal, Turkey and the Czech Republic group matches. Has a capacity of 30,000 and cost around 42 million euros to construct.
- AFP
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