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Only the best arenas get the privilege of being accurately described as a rugby world cup venue and there are nine separate rugby world cup stadiums in use during the 2023 Rugby World Cup. To ensure you know all about these top class rugby world cup stadiums, we have put together a short guide covering all of the rugby world cup venues.
Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille
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With a capacity of 50,096, this northern most venue of the rugby World Cup will be only a short ferry ride and car journey for British rugby fans. Scotland and England will both play at this rugby World Cup venue with five pool games in total taking place here. The imposing stadium was opened in 2012 and is the home of Lille OSC Football Club. The venue was also used for the UEFA Euro 2016 football tournament and so has plenty of experience of hosting big sporting showpieces. Hosts France will take on Uruguay at this venue on Thursday 14 September.
Stade de France, Paris
Sporting stadiums don’t come much more impressive than this one in Saint-Denis, a northern suburb in Paris. Over 80,000 people will create a sea of noise and an atmosphere second to none in this rugby world cup. Unsurprisingly, this venue will host the opening match of the tournament as well as two quarter-finals, both semi-finals, the third-place play off and the final itself on October 28. History could well be made at this rugby world cup venue with a wide range of emotions sure to be seen in the crowd and on the pitch.
Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes
The home of FC Nantes has been in operation as a top sporting venue since 1984 and will continue to deliver high-level entertainment during this rugby world cup venue. The stadium is found in the North East part of France and will cater for a wide radius of rugby fans due to no other rugby world cup venues being particularly close. With a capacity of 35,322, Ireland, Tonga, Argentina, Chile, Wales, Georgia and Japan will all take to the field at this rugby world cup stadium.
OL Stadium, Lyon
Another whopping rugby world cup venue, this time the home of Olympique Lyonnais which has a capacity just under 60,000. Opened in January 2016 at a construction cost of EUR480 million, it has already hosted UEFA Euro 2016 games, the 2018 Europa League Final, the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup and will be used as part of the football during the 2024 Olympics! The OL Stadium will have the privilege of hosting the All Blacks on September 29.
Stade Geoffrey-Guichard, Saint Etienne
Even the most die-hard rugby fans who pioritise the oval ball over the round ball will know of the two iconic moments in English football history which took place at this venue in 1998 when an 18 year old Michael Owen scored against Argentina before David Beckham was red carded for a petulant kick off the ball. Twenty-five years on, and with a capacity of over 41,000, Saint Etienne will host Italy against Namibia, Australia against Fiji, Argentina against Samoa and Australia against Portugal.
Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux
In the south west of the country, we are into the rugby heartlands of France and you can expect to see and meet a knowledgeable crowd at this rugby world cup venue. Although the stadium currently hosts Ligue 2 football, it will have no problem filling up to its capacity of over 42,000 for five pool contests during this competition. Newcomers Chile will play Samoa here and the current Rugby World Cup holders South Africa will take on Romania a day later on September 17.
Stade de Nice, Nice
The most easterly city to host a 2023 Rugby World Cup match and ideally situated for Italian fans, the Stade de Nice stands proud with a capacity of just over 35,000. The home of Nice FC and RC Toulon will host matches from all four pools with the game between Italy and Uruguay likely to see an Italian takeover of the stadium and surrounding areas. Fans of English football will remember this ground as where their men’s side were dumped out of Euro 2016 by Iceland and their women’s side lost the third place play-off in 2019 against Sweden.
Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse
Holding just over 33,000 supporters, you can expect this rugby world cup venue to generate a passionate atmosphere and plenty of noise. This will be where Chile will make their rugby world cup debut against Japan on September 10 and will host the All Blacks against Namibia five days later. The locals are big rugby fans and you can expect even the contests between Japan and Samoa and Fiji and Portugal to still be very well supported.
Stade Vélodrome, Marseille
Our journey around the rugby world cup stadiums ends on the south coast at the home of Olympique de Marseille, one of France’s most famous football clubs. The venue is huge and stands out from afar with a capacity of 67, 847. Not only will the ground host France once and current champions South Africa twice, it will also be the venue for two of the 2023 Rugby World Cup Quarter Finals. Top quality rugby will not be in short supply in Marseille during this year’s tournament.
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