Stade Vélodrome: the burning heart of Marseille
The Stade Vélodrome, officially the Orange Vélodrome under its naming-rights deal, is the home of Olympique de Marseille and the largest club stadium in France, with a capacity of 67,394. Set in the southern districts of Marseille, it is widely regarded as the most atmospheric ground in the country, a place where the city's intense identification with its football club produces a noise and colour that rivals anything in European football. The stadium appears on the map.
A stadium born for the 1938 World Cup
The Vélodrome opened in 1937 and took its name from the cycling track that originally ran around the pitch, a common feature of multi-sport stadiums of the era. It was built in part to host matches at the 1938 FIFA World Cup in France, and over the following decades it staged football, cycling, rugby and athletics. The cycling track was eventually removed, and a series of redevelopments progressively transformed the ground from an open bowl into the enclosed modern arena of today.
The 1998 and 2016 transformations
For the 1998 World Cup the Vélodrome was substantially rebuilt, with new stands raising the capacity above 60,000, although it remained famously open to the Mediterranean sky. The most dramatic change came ahead of UEFA Euro 2016, when the stadium received a sweeping undulating roof that covers all four stands while still allowing light onto the pitch. The new roof finally enclosed the ground acoustically, intensifying the already formidable atmosphere, and gave Marseille a thoroughly modern arena without sacrificing its character.
The four stands and their tribes
The Vélodrome's identity is shaped by its four stands, each with its own organised supporters. Behind the goals, the Virage Nord (named after Patrice de Peretti, a beloved ultra who died young) and the Virage Sud are home to the club's ultras groups, who orchestrate the tifos, chants and pyrotechnics. The Jean-Bouin and Ganay stands run along the sides. The result on a big night, particularly against Paris Saint-Germain in Le Classique, is one of the most hostile and spectacular environments in the sport.
Olympique de Marseille and European glory
Marseille is the only French club to have won the UEFA Champions League, defeating AC Milan in the 1993 final in Munich, and that triumph remains central to the club's self-image. The Vélodrome has hosted countless memorable European nights, and the relationship between the team and its supporters is uniquely visceral; success and failure are felt across the city with an intensity that has few parallels in France. The pressure on players and managers at OM is correspondingly enormous.
International football and rugby
Beyond club football, the Vélodrome has been a regular host of the France national team and was one of the principal venues at Euro 2016, staging a semi-final. It has also hosted matches at the Rugby World Cup, including fixtures in 2007 and 2023, and major rugby internationals. Its size and atmosphere make it a natural choice for the biggest occasions that the French federations wish to stage outside Paris.
The naming-rights era
The stadium's commercial name has changed with sponsorship, becoming the Orange Vélodrome in 2016, but supporters and locals overwhelmingly continue to call it simply the Vélodrome. The name carries the weight of nearly nine decades of Marseille football, and no commercial rebranding has displaced it in the popular imagination. This tension between heritage and modern stadium economics is familiar across European football.
Visiting the Vélodrome
The stadium is easily reached by the Marseille Metro, with the Rond-Point du Prado station a short walk away. Stadium tours run on non-matchday and take visitors through the dressing rooms, the players' tunnel and pitchside, with the OM Museum recounting the club's turbulent and glorious history. For visitors, attending a match — especially against a major rival — is one of the great experiences in European football, provided one is prepared for the intensity.
Explore on the map
You can find the Stade Vélodrome and the other major grounds of France on our interactive map, which lets you explore stadiums across the country and the wider footballing world.