Olympic Stadium Explained

Olympic Stadium is the name usually given to the main stadium of an Olympic Games. An Olympic stadium is the site of the opening and closing ceremonies. Many, though not all, of these venues actually contain the words Olympic Stadium as part of their names, such as stadiums in Amsterdam, Berlin, Helsinki and Paris. Olympic Stadium may also be named a multi-purpose stadium which hosts Olympic sports.[1]

In the case of the Summer Olympic Games, athletics competitions and the football final are traditionally held in the Olympic Stadium. Exceptions to this have occurred though at the 1900, 1996, 2012, 2016, and 2024 Summer Olympics as well as at the 2010 and 2018 Summer Youth Olympic Games.

Early Winter Olympic Games often used figure skating venues as focal points. These were often designated as the Olympic Stadium, usually hosting the opening and closing ceremonies.

A number of stadiums have been used in more than one Olympics in cities that have held the Games more than once. For instance, Lysgårdsbakken was the main stadium of a Winter Olympics and a Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG). Bergiselschanze was the main stadium of two Winter Olympics and one Winter YOG. Olympiahalle jointly shared the Olympic Stadium role with Bergiselschanze during the two Winter Olympics, but not during the Winter YOG.

Only one stadium, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, has been the main stadium of two Summer Olympics, and it is going to be the main stadium a record third time in the 2028 Games. In addition to the inaugural Summer Olympics, the Panathinaiko Stadio was also the main stadium of the only Intercalated Games held. The National Stadium in Tokyo was the main stadium that hosted the 1964 Summer Olympics (the first in Asia), but the 2020 Games was hosted in a new stadium on the same site. Beijing National Stadium was the main stadium of two Olympics, but with a special distinction: it was the only stadium to have been such at both a Summer and a Winter Olympics.

A number of stadiums have hosted events at subsequent Olympics. In the 2004 Athens Games, the Panathinaiko Stadio hosted the archery competition and was the finish of both women's and men's marathon events. The Vélodrome de Vincennes, the main stadium of the 1900 Summer Olympics, was the track cycling venue of the 1924 Paris Games. Similarly, the Stade Yves-du-Manoir, the 1924 Games main stadium, was used for the field hockey tournaments at the 2024 Summer Olympics. The London Games of 2012 were not opened and closed at the rebuilt Wembley Stadium, the site of the 1948 Olympic Stadium, but instead at a new stadium in Stratford. Wembley was, however, the venue for some 2012 Olympic football matches, including both men's and women's finals. Likewise, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, which was the centrepiece stadium for the 1956 games, later hosted the first games of the Sydney 2000 football tournament. Lake Placid's 1932 Olympic Stadium was utilized in the 1980 Lake Placid games as the speed skating venue. Olympiahalle hosted figure skating and short-track speed skating during the 2012 Winter Youth Olympics. Stockholm Olympic Stadium hosted equestrian events for the 1956 Summer Olympics (while the 1956 Games were held in Melbourne, Australia, quarantine restrictions prevented equestrian events from being held domestically, thus Stockholm, Sweden hosted the 1956 equestrian competitions).

Stadiums

ImageOlympicsSeasonStadiumNative nameCityCountryNew/oldCapacityExisting?
Summer Existing 80,000 align=right Yes -Vincennes Velodrome (ceremony)50,000 align=right Yes
Croix-Catelan Stadium (athletics)No -New 19,000 align=right Yes
Existing 80,000 align=right Yes
London New 68,000 align=right No
New 20,000 align=right Yes
New 12,771 align=right Yes
Winter Stade Olympique de Chamonix New 45,000 align=right Yes
Summer Paris Existing 45,000 align=right Yes
Winter Badrutts ParkNew 4,000 align=right Yes
Summer Existing, renovated 31,600 align=right Yes
Winter New 7,500 align=right Yes
Summer Existing, expanded 101,574 align=right Yes
Winter Existing 40,000 align=right Yes
Summer Berlin New 110,000 align=right Yes
Winter Badrutts Park Existing 4,000 align=right Yes
Summer London Existing 82,000 align=right No (replaced)
Winter Existing 20,000 align=right No (replaced)
Summer Existing 70,000 align=right Yes
Winter Existing, renovated 12,000 align=right Yes
Summer Existing 115,000 align=right Yes
Winter New 8,500 align=right No
Summer Existing 90,000 align=right Yes
Winter Bergiselschanze (opening ceremony)Existing 26,000 align=right Yes
Olympiahalle (closing ceremony)New 10,836 align=right Yes
Summer Tokyo Existing 71,556 align=right No (replaced)
Winter Olympic Stadium (opening ceremony) Temporary 60,000 align=right No
Le Stade de Glace (closing ceremony) New 12,000 Yes
Summer Existing 83,700 align=right Yes
Winter Makomanai Open Stadium (opening ceremony) New 30,000 align=right Yes
Makomanai Ice Arena (closing ceremony) New11,500Yes
Summer New 80,000 align=right Yes
Winter Bergiselschanze (opening ceremony) Existing 26,000 align=right Yes
Olympiahalle (closing ceremony)Existing 10,836 align=right Yes
Summer New 70,000 align=right Yes
Winter Lake Placid Equestrian Stadium (opening ceremony)Temporary stadium at existing equestrian grounds 30,000 align=right No
Olympic Center Arena (closing ceremony)New10,000Yes
Summer Moscow Existing, renovated 103,000 align=right Yes
Winter Olympic Stadium (opening ceremony) Existing 50,000 align=right Yes
Zetra Olympic Hall (closing ceremony) Olimpijska dvorana ZetraNew 12,000 align=right Yes
Summer Los Angeles Existing 92,516 align=right Yes
Winter Existing, renovated 38,205 align=right Yes
Summer Existing 100,000 align=right Yes
Winter Temporary 35,000 align=right No
1992SummerOlympic StadiumEstadi OlímpicBarcelonaExisting60,713Yes
Winter New 35,000 align=right Yes
Summer Temporary 85,000 align=right No (replaced)
Winter New 30,000 align=right Yes
Summer New 114,714 align=right Yes
Winter Existing, replacement 45,017 align=right Yes
Summer Existing, renovated 72,000 align=right Yes
Winter Existing 28,000align=right Yes
Summer New 91,000align=right Yes
Winter Existing, renovated 54,500align=right Yes
Summer Pentas Terapung Teluk Marina
滨海湾浮动舞台
மரீனா பே மிதக்கும் மேடை (Tamil)
Existing 30,000align=right No
Winter 26,000 align=right Yes
Summer London New 80,000 align=right Yes
Winter 40,000 align=right Yes
Summer Existing 61,443align=right Yes
Winter Lysgårdsbakkene Ski Jumping Arena (opening ceremony) 35,000 align=right Yes
Håkons Hall (closing ceremony) 11,500 Yes
SummerEstádio do Maracanã (ceremonies, football) 74,738 align=right Yes
Olympic Stadium (athletics and football) Estádio OlímpicoExisting, expanded 60,000[2] align=right Yes
Winter Temporary 35,000 No
SummerObelisco de Buenos Aires (opening ceremony) Existing, temporary N/A align=right Yes
Buenos Aires Youth Olympic Village (closing ceremony)[3] New 15,500align=right Yes
Winter Vaudoise ArenaVaudoise Aréna New 9,600 align=right Yes
Summer 国立競技場 (tentative name) Tokyo Existing, replacement 68,000 align=right Yes
Winter Existing 80,000align=right Yes
2024 YouthWinterGangneung Oval (opening ceremony, speed skating)강릉 스피드 스케이팅 경기장GangwonExisting8,000align=right Yes
Yongpyong Dome (opening ceremony)용평돔Existingalign=right Yes
Gangwon Olympic Stage (closing ceremony)Temporary structure next to existing venueN/Aalign=right No
Summer River Seine (opening ceremony) Paris Temporary 300,000 No
Jardins du Trocadéro (opening ceremony)30,000 align=right No
Stade de France (athletics, rugby sevens, closing ceremony)Existing 77,083 align=right Yes
WinterSan Siro (opening ceremony) Existing 75,923 align=right Yes
Verona Arena (closing ceremony) 15,000 align=right Yes
Summer Diamniadio Olympic StadiumStade olympique de Diamniadio Existing 50,000 align=right Yes
SummerLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum (proposed ceremonies, athletics) Los Angeles Existing, renovated 60,000 align=right Yes
SoFi Stadium (proposed ceremonies, swimming) Existing 70,240-100,240
38,000 (swimming)
align=right Yes
Winter TBA (opening ceremony)TBA TBA TBA align=right No
Promenade des Anglais (closing ceremony) Temporary TBA align=right Yes
Summer Lang Park (ceremonies, football, rugby sevens)Existing, renovated 52,500 align=right Yes
Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre (athletics) Existing, renovated 40,000 align=right Yes
Winter Existing 53,644 align=right Yes
Notes

Other major events held at Olympic stadiums

Venue City Events
Amsterdam 1962 European Cup Final, 1977 European Cup Winners' Cup Final, 1981 UEFA Cup Final, 1987 Individual Speedway World Championship Finals, 1992 UEFA Cup Final, 2016 European Athletics Championships
Athens 1967–68 FIBA European Cup Winners' Cup, 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games
1983, 1994 and 2007 UEFA Champions League Finals, 1991 Mediterranean Games 1997 World Championships in Athletics, 2005, 2006 and 2022 WRC Acropolis Rally SuperSpecial Stage, 2006 IAAF World Cup
Atlanta as Turner Field: 1999 World Series, 2000 MLB All-Star Game
as Center Parc Stadium: annual MEAC/SWAC Challenge, annual GHSA football championships (2019–2022)
Barcelona 1989 IAAF World Cup, 2003 World Police and Fire Games, 2010 European Athletics Championships
Beijing 2009 Race of Champions, 2015 World Championships in Athletics, 2017 League of Legends World Championship
Berlin 1974 and 2006 FIFA World Cups, 1994 IPC Athletics World Championships, annual IAAF Golden League (1998–2009), 2009 World Championships in Athletics, 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, 2015 UEFA Champions League Final, 2018 European Athletics Championships, UEFA Euro 2024, annual DFB-Pokal final
Calgary Five Grey Cups, 1972 and 1978 CFL All-Star Games, 1997 World Police and Fire Games
Helsinki 1957 Bandy World Championship, 1983 and 2005 World Championships in Athletics, 1971, 1994, and 2012 European Athletics Championships, UEFA Women's Euro 2009, 2022 UEFA Super Cup.
Innsbruck 1968 and 2005 Winter Universiades, 1933, 1985, and 2019 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, annual FIS Ski Jumping World Cup
London 2015 Race of Champions, 2015 Rugby World Cup, 2017 World Para Athletics Championships, 2017 World Championships in Athletics, 2018 Athletics World Cup,
Original stadium: 1963, 1968, 1971, 1978, and 1992 European Cup Finals, 1966 FIFA World Cup, 1989-1992 Rugby League World Cup, WWF SummerSlam 1992, 1995 Rugby League World Cup, UEFA Euro 1996, annual FA Cup final, League Cup final, and FA Charity Shield
Current stadium: 2007 and 2008 Race of Champions, 2011, 2013, and 2024 UEFA Champions League Finals, 2013 Rugby League World Cup, 2015 Rugby World Cup, UEFA Euro 2020, annual FA Cup final, NFL International Series, EFL Cup final, and FA Community Shield
1934 British Empire Games, 1966 FIFA World Cup
Los Angeles 1959 World Series, second 1959 MLB All-Star Game, Super Bowl I (1967), Super Bowl VII (1973), 23 Pro Bowls, 1982 Individual Speedway World Championship, 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games, AMA Supercross Championships (historically), annual Busch Light Clash, Mickey Thompson Off Road Grand Prix (historically)
Super Bowl LVI (2022), 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship, 2026 FIFA World Cup, annual LA Bowl, WrestleMania 39, Monster Jam World Finals XXIII
The Float @ Marina Bay Marina Bayannual Singapore Grand Prix
Melbourne 1992 and 2015 Cricket World Cup Finals, 2006 Commonwealth Games, annual AFL Grand Final (except 2020 & 2021)
Mexico City 1955 Pan American Games, 1986 FIFA World Cup
Milan 1934 and 1990 FIFA World Cups
Montreal 1979 IAAF World Cup, 1982 MLB All-Star Game, six Grey Cups, 2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup
Moscow 1973 Summer Universiade, 1999 UEFA Cup Final, 2008 UEFA Champions League Final, 2013 World Championships in Athletics, 2018 FIFA World Cup
Munich 1974 FIFA World Cup, 1979 European Cup Final, UEFA Euro 1988, 1993 and 1997 UEFA Champions League Finals, 1989 Individual Speedway World Championship, 2002 and 2022 European Athletics Championships, 2012 UEFA Women's Champions League Final
Nanjing Olympic Sports Centre Nanjing2005 National Games of China
Oslo 1946 European Athletics Championships, annual IAAF Golden League (1998–2009), annual Diamond League
Lillehammer annual FIS Ski Jumping World Cup and FIS Nordic Combined World Cup
Paris 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, and 1974 Tour de France closing stages
1938 FIFA World Cup
Seineannual
Jardins du Trocadérostart of annual Tour de France Automobile, closing stages of Tour de France
1998 FIFA World Cup, 1999 Rugby World Cup, annual IAAF Golden League (1999–2009), 2000 UEFA Champions League Final, 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup Final, 2003 World Championships in Athletics, 2006 UEFA Champions League Final, 2007 Rugby World Cup Final, UEFA Euro 2016, annual Coupe de France final, annual Top 14 final, annual Diamond League
Rio de Janeiro
2007 Pan American Games, 2011 Military World Games, 2021 Copa América
Rome UEFA Euro 1968, 1980 and 2020, 1974 European Athletics Championships, 1975 Summer Universiade, 1977 and 1984 European Cup Finals, 1981 IAAF World Cup, 1987 World Championships in Athletics, 1990 FIFA World Cup, 1996 and 2009 UEFA Champions League Finals, annual IAAF Golden League (1998–2009), annual Diamond League
Rice-Eccles Olympic Stadium Salt Lake Cityannual AMA Supercross Championships, Monster Jam World Finals XXIIII
Sapporo 1991 Winter Universiade
Seoul 1986 Asian Games, 2013 EAFF East Asian Cup finals
Sochi 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, 2018 FIFA World Cup
Stockholm 1958 European Athletics Championships, 1999 World Police and Fire Games, 2001, 2002 and 2004 Speedway Grand Prix of Sweden, annual Diamond League
Sydney 2003 Rugby World Cup, 2015 AFC Asian Cup, 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, annual NRL Grand Final
Tokyo Original stadium: 1958 Asian Games, 1967 Summer Universiade, 1991 World Championships in Athletics, annual Intercontinental Cup, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 FIFA Club World Cups, 2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, annual Emperor's Cup final
Current stadium: annual Emperor's Cup final, 2025 World Athletics Championships
Turin 1934 European Athletics Championships, 1934 FIFA World Cup, 1959 and 1970 Summer Universiades
Vancouver Nine Grey Cups, 1983 CFL All-Star Game, 1989 World Police and Fire Games, 1990 Gay Games, 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, 2026 FIFA World Cup

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://slovari.yandex.ru/~%D0%BA%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B3%D0%B8/%D0%9E%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%BF%D0%B8%D0%B9%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%8F%20%D1%8D%D0%BD%D1%86%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%BF%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%B8%D1%8F/%D0%9E%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%BF%D0%B8%D0%B9%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B9%20%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%B8%D0%BE%D0%BD/ Olympic Stadium
  2. Web site: João Havelange Olympic Stadium . Rio 2016 . 15 January 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160204232405/http://www.rio2016.com/en/the-games/map-of-the-venues/joao-havelange-olympic-stadium . 4 February 2016 .
  3. News: El gobierno porteño gastará $15 millones en la Ceremonia de Clausura de los Juegos Olímpicos de la Juventud . 9 July 2018 . Revista Qué . 25 June 2018.