Stadio Artemio Franchi

• Tweet

• Tweet

Key facts

Club: ACF Fiorentina | Opening: 1931 | Capacity: 47,282 seats

History and description

Stadio Artemio Franchi officially opened on the 13th of September 1931 with a match between Fiorentina and Admira Wien (1-0), though it took until 1932 for the stadium to be completely finished.

The stadium was initially called Stadio Giovanni Berta, and already very much resembled the stadium of today. It had a capacity of about 45,000 places.

In 1934, Stadio Berta was one of the playing venues of the 1934 World Cup, during which it hosted one first round match and the quarter-final between Italy and Spain (and replay of said match).

After the Second World War, the stadium got renamed Stadio Comunale, which it would keep until 1993.

The addition of multiple metal stands brought capacity to about 70,000 places in the 1950s, though may fans got hurt when one such stand collapsed in 1957.

Stadio Comunale hosted one of the two semi-finals during the 1968 European Championships. Just over 20,000 spectators saw Yugoslavia beat England 1-0.

The stadium changed little in the next decades until it got selected as a playing venue for the 1990 World Cup, and a major refurbishment was required.

During the 1990 World Cup, Stadio Comunale hosted three group matches and the quarter-final between Argentina and Yugoslavia (0-0).

In recent years, the state of Stadio Artemio Franchi has significantly deteriorated, and Fiorentina is therefore investigating the option of building a new stadium in the west of the city near the airport. No concrete time schedule has been provided yet.

Getting there

Stadio Artemio Franchi is located towards the north-east of Florence, about 2 kilometres from the historic city centre. The walk from the Duomo in the historic centre takes about half an hour.

The stadium lies only two blocks from train station Campo di Marte, which is almost solely served by regional trains. A change at Florence’s main Santa Maria Novella station will likely be necessary.

Alternatively, one can take bus 17 from Santa Maria Novella or Piazza San Marco (which lies three blocks north of the Duomo).

If arriving by car from the Milan-Napels motorway, take the exit Firenze Sud, follow the Varlungo Marco Polo viaduct toward the city, cross the bridge, and follow the signs (Stadio) to the stadium.

Address: Viale Manfredo Fanti 4, 50137 Firenze

Eat, drink, and sleep

Stadio Artemio Franchi is located in a generally quiet residential area. It will not be hard to find a café or a place to get something to eat, but Florence’s city centre is obviously much more pleasant.

There are a few hotels directly near Stadio Artemio Franchi. MSNSUITES Palazzo Lombardo and Casa Schlatter both get good reviews, while Hostel 7 Santi is a cheaper alternative. Click here to see all hotels near the stadium.

Alternatively, it might also be an idea to pick a hotel in between the stadium and Florence’s city centre. Hotel Della Robbia, Hotel Villa Liana, and Hotel Regency are some of the options. Click here for an overview of hotels further on in the city centre.

Tickets

Tickets for Fiorentina games can be bought online via Ticketone, by phone +39 055 571259, at the Fiorentina Point at the stadium, at the ticket office at the Via Dupré 28r (two blocks from the stadium), or at one of the other pre-sale point.

Of these pre-sale points, the Chiosco degli Sportivi at the Via degli Anselmi in Florence’s historic centre is the most centrally located.

Ticket prices typically start at €14.00 for a seat at one of the curves, and range to between €22.00 and €135.00 for a seat at one of the long sides. Prices may get increased for a few high-profile matches.

For more information email tickets@acffiorentina.it.

Attendances

Photos

Relevant Internet links

Violachannel.tv – Official website of ACF Fiorentina.
Firenzeturismo.it – Official website of the Florence tourist board.
Ataf.net – Public transport information and timetables.
Trenitalia.com – Train times and fares.