Luxembourg’s new national stadium officially opened

A festive opening ceremony at the weekend was attended by His Royal Highness Grand Duke Henri; Fernand Etgen, President of the Chamber of Deputies; Lydie Polfer, Mayor of the City of Luxembourg; and Dan Kersch, Minister for Sport. The Luxembourg Football Federation (FLF) was officially represented by its president Paul Philipp and members of the association’s board of directors.

State-of-the-art venue

Luxembourg's brand-new national football and rugby stadium is fully compliant with the latest standards in terms of comfort, technology and safety, and features an adjoining multi-purpose space designed to accommodate a wide range of sporting and cultural events.

The new stadium will become a symbol of football in LuxembourgVal Wagner - sportspress.lu

The Stade de Luxembourg meets all the specifications for a UEFA category 4 stadium, and has a seating capacity of 9,471 – 8,708 standard seats, 512 VIP sets, 27 VVIP sets, 174 press seats and 50 seats for people with reduced mobility.

Distinctive design

Instantly recognisable owing to its distinctive architectural design, the stadium is a prominent feature in the skyline of the newly developed “Cloche d’Or” district. With its timeless architecture, it will become a symbol of Luxembourg football.

As the stadium will host rugby and football matches alike, the playing surface serves as both a football pitch (105 X 68 m) and a rugby pitch (115 X 70 m). The pitch also features an automatic sprinkler system, with water supplied by a rainwater collection tank.

Young footballers and rugby players took a major role in the inauguration ceremonyJulien Garroy

To ensure a high-quality playing surface during the winter months, an electric heating system is built into the pitch’s foundations. Depending on the weather, mobile ultraviolet lights help support the turf’s growth. The project has been subsidised by the Ministry of Sport, and the construction of a parking area is fully financed by the City of Luxembourg.

Winning start

The Stade de Luxembourg has already began hosting football matches. On 1 September, the national football team, the 'Rout Léiwen', played the first official match in the new stadium, beating Azerbaijan 2-1 in the European Qualifiers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Six days later, Luxembourg and Qatar played out a 1-1 draw in a friendly. Last week, the national women’s team made their debut at the venue against England in a FIFA Women's World Cup qualifier.

Official speeches punctuated the opening ceremony, followed by dance performances and laser and light shows. Young sportsmen and women received a football and a rugby ball to mark the occasion.

The evening ended with the cutting of a cake – modelled exactly on the Stade de Luxembourg – as well as a presentation to Grand Duke Henri of a gift box, including a jersey for his grandson Prince Charles bearing the inscription 'Charles 1', as a souvenir of the inauguration event.