Stade Bollaert-Delelis

Football stadium in Lens, France

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50°25′58″N 2°48′54″E / 50.43278°N 2.81500°E / 50.43278; 2.81500Capacity38,223 (after renovation)ConstructionOpened18 June 1933Renovated2014–2015TenantsRC Lens

The Stade Bollaert-Delelis (French pronunciation: [stad bɔlaʁt dələlis]) is the main football stadium in Lens, France, that was built in 1933. It is the home of RC Lens. The stadium's capacity is 38,223 – about 7,000 more than the city's population. The stadium was originally named after Félix Bollaert, a director of Compagnie des Mines de Lens who was anxious to promote the development of sports clubs in the city. Construction began in 1931, but Bollaert had died shortly before the stadium's inauguration. It was renamed Stade Bollaert-Delelis in 2012 after the death of André Delelis, the former mayor of the city who was politician who served as the Minister of Commerce under President François Mitterrand.

History

The stadium has hosted matches in the following major international tournaments:

  • 1984 European Championship
  • 1998 FIFA World Cup
  • 1999 Rugby World Cup
  • 2007 Rugby World Cup
  • 2016 European Championship

Architecture

The renovated stadium.

The stadium is constructed in the English style with four separate stands dedicated respectively to:

  • Henri Trannin, native of Bully-les-Mines, Goalkeeper at the club for 18 years, sports director for Lens from 1952 to 1956, dying in July 1974; it was dedicated on 4 December 1976
  • Tony Marek, former player and coach, international in the 1950s (lower part) and Xercès Louis, former player, first French international player from the Antilles (upper part);
  • Élie Delacourt, former fans' group president;
  • Max Lepagnot, former president of the district of Artois.

Until 15 September 2018, all parts of the stadium contained seating. However, most supporters in the Marek, being a side stand, used to keep standing during the games as it is considered the kop and are considered as the most fervent supporters in the stadium, which makes the stadium different from most of the other stadiums, as the most fervent fans tend to usually sit behind the nets. Since 15 September 2018, the Marek contains a standing area again, as well as the lower parts of the Trannin and Delacourt stands since the start of the 2022–2023 season. The stadium's capacity is now 38,223.[1]

Events

UEFA Euro 1984

Date Team #1 Res. Team #2 Round
13 June 1984  Belgium 2–0  Yugoslavia Group A
17 June 1984  West Germany 2–1  Romania Group B

1998 FIFA World Cup

The stadium was one of the venues of the 1998 FIFA World Cup, and held the following matches:

Date Team #1 Res. Team #2 Round
12 June 1998  Saudi Arabia 0–1  Denmark Group C
14 June 1998  Jamaica 1–3  Croatia Group H
21 June 1998  Germany 2–2  Yugoslavia Group F
24 June 1998  Spain 6–1  Bulgaria Group D
26 June 1998  Colombia 0–2  England Group G
28 June 1998  France 1–0  Paraguay Round of 16

1999 Rugby World Cup

Date Team #1 Res. Team #2 Round
20 October 1999 masum. Ireland 24–28  Argentina Play-off Stage

2007 Rugby World Cup

Date Team #1 Res. Team #2 Round
8 September 2007  England 28–10  United States Group A
22 September 2007  South Africa 30–25  Tonga Group A
26 September 2007  Georgia 30–0  Namibia Group D

UEFA Euro 2016

In May 2011, the stadium was designated to host the 2016 European Football Championship. To be renovated, the stadium was closed during the 2014–2015 season.

Date Time (CET) Team #1 Result Team #2 Round Attendance
11 June 2016 15:00  Albania 0–1   Switzerland Group A 33,805
16 June 2016 15:00  England 2–1  Wales Group B 34,033
21 June 2016 21:00  Czech Republic 0–2  Turkey Group D 32,836
25 June 2016 21:00  Croatia 0–1  Portugal Round of 16 33,523

Other uses

The France national team has played eight matches at the stadium without defeat. Lille played two UEFA Champions League campaigns there when their own stadium was deemed inadequate, in (2001–02 and 2006–07). It hosted the Johnny Hallyday concert in 2009 and a Jehovah's Witnesses gathering in 2006, which created controversy. The stadium is the setting for a scene in the movie Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis, shot during a match between Lens and Nice in April 2007. The song "Les corons" is sung by the public at the end of halftime break.

In 2012 the Stadium held a rugby League match between France and Wales as part of an Autumn International Series match. 11,278 fans came to watch the game.

References

  1. ^ Official RC Lens web site (in French). rclens.fr.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Stade Bollaert-Delelis.
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