600 days to go: EURO venues progressing

With 600 days to go until UEFA EURO 2016 kicks off, UEFA.com looks at how work on the ten final tournament stadiums is progressing.

The 15th UEFA European Championship will begin at Stade de France in Saint-Denis on 10 June 2016, one of three venues – along with Stade Pierre Mauroy in Lille and theStadium de Toulouse – to have been ready for action for some time.

There are, however, a number of stadiums where work continues. For example, the first part of the renovation being carried out on Parc des Princes – in time for it to host five matches – has now been completed. With two new rows of seats added closer to the pitch, as well as new substitutes' benches and brand new executive boxes and lounges, the Parisian venue's facelift has begun.

Elsewhere, work on Stade Bollaert-Delelis in Lens, which began in spring, has moved on apace. With the roof, pitch and seats having been removed, it is becoming difficult to recognise the old stadium. By the end of 2015, the venue – which hosts four matches at the final tournament – will have a new stadium bowl and roof structure, and a new upper tier in the Lepagnot stand will contribute to a capacity of 38,223.

Inside the Musée National du Sport©www.museedusport.fr

Meanwhile, the French Musée National du Sport, which forms part of Stade de Nice, was officially inaugurated on Wednesday in the company of the French sports minister, Patrick Kanner. More than 45,000 exhibits and 400,000 documents, comprising one of the largest collections in the world, are now on show in the venue designed by Jean-Michel Wilmotte.

In Marseille, Stade Vélodrome was officially inaugurated on Thursday. With an increased capacity of 67,000, the arena is now covered by a 65,000m2 roof. The stadium – which will stage six EURO fixtures, including a quarter-final and a semi-final – has once again been playing host to Olympique de Marseille matches since the start of the season.

Last month at the Stade de Lyon, after a busy summer, the focus turned to laying the overhang for the roof that is due to be installed in November. The structure now stands at 35m and will increase to 45m once the roof is finished. Also, seats are being installed on levels four, five and six. The stadium should be open by late 2015/early 2016.

With work at Stade de Bordeaux almost complete, attentions have now turned to the area around the stadium. Plants, walkways, seating and lighting all need to be installed. Lastly, work at Stade Geoffroy Guichard in Saint-Etienne – known affectionately as the Cauldron – is nearing an end, with just the finishing touches required. Recent developments have included light therapy designed to ensure the standard of the playing surface is not compromised by the high stands and roof.