Color Line Stadion is a football stadium in Ålesund, Norway. It was inaugurated in April 2005 and cost NOK 160 million to build.
The stadium has drawn much attention for having artificial grass, being the first top-level stadium to have such in Norway. When Aalesund opened the stadium, businessman Olav Nils Sunde donated a statue to the club, which was erected in front of the stadium. Whilst Sunde denied it, the statue bore a very strong resemblance to former Aalesund player John Arne Riise. In 2007, when Riise played in the Champions League Final, a Norwegian commentator demanded the statue officially carry his name. Riise himself has said, "[The name change] is not for me to decide. Everyone sees who it is, and I know that it was made for me."[1]
Since 2009, it has also hosted the home games of the Norwegian Women's Premier League side Fortuna Ålesund. The venue has hosted one Norway national under-21 football team matche, playing 1–3 against Cyprus on 3 September 2010.[2]
- Capacity: 10,778 (9,598 seated).
- Record attendance: 10,903 (vs Hamarkameratene, 2005).
- The first match Aafk played on Color Line Stadium was against Odd Grenland. Aalesund won the match.
- Outside the stadium is a statue of "the Football Player", modeled after John Arne Riise.
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Coordinates: 62°28′11″N 6°11′13″E / 62.46966°N 6.18685°E / 62.46966; 6.18685
