Stade Louis II

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The original Stade Louis II was opened in 1939 as the home of AS Monaco. The decision to build a new sports centre in Monaco dates back to 1979. Prince Rainier III decided to establish a sports area in the Fontvieille district. The prince brought in Parisian architects to build the complex. The work began in May 1981 and ended in 1984, and required 120,000 m³ of concrete, 9,000 tonnes of iron and 2,000 tonnes of steel structure on a median land reclaimed from the sea. The complex was inaugurated on 25 January 1985 by Rainier III. The stadium is named after Louis II, Prince of Monaco, who was the Sovereign Prince of Monaco when the original stadium was built.

In Their Own Story

The stadium sits on a median land reclaimed from the sea in Fontvieille. Its complex includes a large car park directly under the pitch and houses underground facilities like the Prince Albert II aquatic centre and the International University of Monaco (IUM). The vast majority of its facilities are located beneath the stands.

Reader's Guide

The stadium has a current seating capacity of 16,360 (almost half of the country's population). The vast majority of the stadium's facilities are located underground, including the Gaston-Médecin multi-sports centre, the Prince Albert II aquatic centre and a large car park directly under the pitch. The stadium has hosted major professional boxing world title fights from time to time; those include the Julio César Chávez, Sr. versus Rocky Lockridge contest. The stadium also hosts the cup finals of the Challenge Prince Rainier III, Monaco's main competition for Monegasque amateur company football teams. The stadium hosted the athletics events in the 1987 and 2007 Games of the Small States of Europe, and is scheduled to host it again in the 2027 event. The Salle Gaston Médecin indoor arena is located under the stands of the football stadium. Salle Gaston Médecin is able to host basketball, volleyball, and handball games, as well as judo and fencing matches, and weightlifting and gymnastics competitions. It has a seating capacity of 5,000 people for basketball games and concerts. The stadium complex also contains the aquatic centre Prince Albert II, a large office complex, and houses the International University of Monaco (IUM), which specializes in business education.

Did You Know?

• The stadium was built on land reclaimed from the sea.
• The stadium's seating capacity of 16,360 is almost half of Monaco's population.
• The stadium hosted the UEFA Super Cup from 1998 to 2012, but not in 1986.
• The Salle Gaston Médecin under the stands can seat approximately 3,700 for basketball and concerts.

Historical Development and Origins

The original Stade Louis II opened in 1939 as the home of AS Monaco. The decision to build a new sports centre dates back to 1979, when Prince Rainier III established a sports area in Fontvieille with Parisian architects. Work began in May 1981 and ended in 1984 on land reclaimed from the sea, requiring 120,000 m³ of concrete, 9,000 tonnes of iron, and 2,000 tonnes of steel structure. The complex was inaugurated on 25 January 1985 by Rainier III.

Architectural Design and Capacity

The stadium has a current seating capacity of 16,360. It is named after Louis II, Prince of Monaco, who was the Sovereign Prince when the original stadium was built. The vast majority of facilities are located underground, including a large car park directly under the pitch.

Major Sporting Events and Competitions

The arena hosts the Herculis, a track and field meet of the Diamond League. It hosted the UEFA Super Cup matches in 1986 and from 1998 to 2012. The stadium has hosted major professional boxing world title fights, including Julio César Chávez, Sr. versus Rocky Lockridge. It also hosts cup finals for the Challenge Prince Rainier III, Monaco's main competition for Monegasque amateur company football teams. Additionally, it hosted athletics events in the 1987 and 2007 Games of the Small States of Europe and is scheduled to host again in 2027.

Underground Complex and Educational Use

Located under the stands is the Salle Gaston Médecin indoor arena, which can host basketball, volleyball, handball, judo, fencing, weightlifting, and gymnastics. It has a seating capacity of 5,000 for basketball games and concerts. The complex also contains the Prince Albert II aquatic centre, a large office complex, and houses the International University of Monaco (IUM), which specializes in business education.