Opened in August 2012, the Pierre Mauroy Stadium, also known as the Decathlon Arena (for sponsorship reasons), is located in Lille. It serves as the home ground for Lille OSC, and the venue for some France National Soccer team and the National Rugby Union team games. This venue is set to be a key site for basketball and handball during the 2024 Paris Olympics. As France’s fourth-largest city, Lille boasts excellent sports facilities, with the Stade Pierre-Mauroy offering a unique design and substantial seating capacity.

The stadium has hosted numerous high-profile events, including matches from Euro 2016, the Davis Cup Tennis Finals in 2014 and 2017, as well as the 2023 Rugby World Cup matches and various basketball and handball games. In addition to sports events, it has also been home to major concerts like Rihanna’s Diamonds World Tour, Bruno Mars’ 24K Magic World Tour, and many more.

So, let’s see what makes Lille the most desirable place to host two big sports in the Olympics.

Pierre Mauroy Stadium’s notable and unique experiences

Seating- Pierre Mauroy Stadium is one of the largest in France and holds an immense seating capacity of 50,210. The highest attendance at the stadium was 49,712 in the Lille vs. PSG game in 2019. The arena has two floors and the Grande Stade reaches a towering 31m. Half of the Grande Stade is placed on a hydraulics lift that raises it and slides it above the other half in about three hours. So that creates the Boîte à Spectacles, which is the lower-level floor that can be configured to have a variable capacity of 6,900 to 30,000 seats. It has 7,000 parking spaces and is close to the metro station and roads. Here are the seat reservation numbers:

Roof- Keeping the weather situation in mind, the stadium is built in a way where the pitch can be raised by six meters on a steel structure that can be moved from the southern half leading to an underground arena. Keeping the bad weather and the noise, the retractable roof has four parts that open into two steel beams and can open and close in just 15 minutes.

Sustainability- The stadium includes solar panels and windmills to provide an electric supply, making it recognized by HQE.

Tourist Attractions- The stadium is surrounded by many tourist attractions such as Old Lille, Grande Place, Citadelle de Lille, Grande PlaceParc, Villa Cavrois, and many more. Lille is also known for its vibrant atmosphere, top-notch restaurants, and popular Airbnbs around.

Transportation- Located in Lille, people can use the high-speed train connection, making it accessible to people coming across France. It is one hour by train from Paris. The stadium is also close to the Lille Airport and the ‘Flibco’ shuttles leave for the city between (Lille Flandres and Lille-Europe) every 30 minutes. People can also reach the stadium from the airport with the help of a bus, subway, or taxi.

Local Support: The local community in Lille is known for its enthusiasm and support for major events all across the sporting domain. This local engagement and volunteer spirit will surely play a crucial role in the successful execution of the Olympics.

In a way, Lille is a splendid choice to hold a grand event like the Olympics where people from across the world come together to enjoy sports. Their experience of hosting major events, having well-connected transportation, cooperating locals, modern infrastructure and accommodation options, and being just an hour away from Paris makes Stade Pierre-Mauroy an ultimate choice to host two big games in the Olympics.

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