Stade Velodrome
The Stade Velodrome is the home of Olympique de Marseille. The stadium currently has a reduced capacity of 42,000 seats due to the redevelopment works it is undergoing. Until the summer of 2011 it had a capacity of 60,031 seats.
The stadium opened in 1937 with a friendly match between Marseille and Italian side Torino. At the 1938 World Cup the stadium hosted two games, including a semi-final.
The Stade Velodrome was aptly named, having a cycling track around the pitch in its early years. However, over the years the track got gradually eaten away by the extension of the stands.
At the Euro 1984 Championships the stadium hosted one group match and the semi-final match between France and Portugal (3-2).
The stadium got extensively renovated for the 1998 World Cup, having its capacity increased from 42,000 to almost 60,000 seats. At the World Cup the Stade Velodrome hosted four group matches, a round of 16 match, a quarter-final, and the semi-final between Brazil and Holland (1-1).
Olympique de Marseille has recently started extensive renovation works that will prepare the stadium for the Euro 2016 tournament. The works include the complete or partial reconstruction of the two main stands, minor works on the stands at the short ends, and the construction of a roof that will cover the complete stadium. This will result in a capacity of 67,000 seats.
The works are expected to be finished in the summer of 2014. In the meantime the stadium has a reduced capacity that was 42,000 for the 2011-2012 season.
Getting there
The Stade Velodrome is located in the south of the city of Marseille, about 3.5 kilometres from Marseille’s city centre, and a kilometre more from central railway station Saint-Charles.
The stadium is connected with the city centre and the railway station by metro line 2. Get on at any of the stops in the centre (e.g. Jules Guesde, Saint-Charles or Noailles), take the metro southbound, and get off at either Rond-Point du Prado or Sainte Marguerite Dromel (both located at different sides of the Stade Velodrome).
Address: 3 Boulevard Michelet, 13008 Marseille
Tickets
Tickets for Marseille games can be purchased online, at the ticket office at the stadium, or at the OM official store at 31 Rue St Ferréol in the city centre. They can furthermore be bought at any Francebillet, Ticketnet, or Digitick sales point.
Tickets for the long ends range in price from €40.00 to €70.00. Due to the temporarily reduced capacity of Stade Vélodrome, Marseille sells out regularly, though for most matches tickets will be available in pre-sale.
For more information call +33 (0) 892 700 840.
Stadium tours
The club organises guided stadium tours of about 60 minutes that include access to the dressing rooms, the press room, VIP areas, and dugouts.
The tours run every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. More tours may run during the school holidays. They generally leave at 11:00 am, 2:00 pm, and 3:30 pm.
Tickets can be booked online, by calling +33 (0) 826 10 40 44, or at any of the Francebillet sales points (e.g. at Carrefour supermarkets or Fnac stores).
The tour costs €10.00.
Relevant Internet links:
OM.net – Official website of Olympique de Marseille.
Marseille-tourism.com – Official website of the Marseille tourism office.
RTM.fr – Marseille public transport information.
Keep up to date with the latest stadium news by following @stadiumguide on Twitter (all updates) or liking our Facebook page (occasional updates). 
