Stade Arsène Wenger
Stade Arsène Wenger | |
 | |
| Full name | Stade Arsène Wenger |
|---|---|
| Location | Duppigheim, Alsace, France |
| Coordinates | 48°32′00″N 7°35′45″E / 48.5332°N 7.5959°E |
| Operator | USL Duppigheim |
| Capacity | 500 |
| Opened | 23 May 2016 |
Stade Arsène Wenger (lit. 'Arsène Wenger Stadium'), also erroneously called Stade de Arsène Wenger in international usage,[1] is an association football stadium in Duppigheim, Alsace, France. It was built in 2016 and it is the home ground of USL Duppigheim with a capacity of 500 seats. It is named after the former manager of the Premier League team Arsenal, Arsène Wenger who grew up in nearby Duttlenheim.[2]
History
[edit]USL Duppigheim initially played their home at Rue de Stade in Duppigheim, though Stade Arsène Wenger was built to replace it. The location that Stade Arsène Wenger built upon used to be a farmer's field mostly used for growing potatoes.[3] In 2016, a new 500-seat stadium was built on the site of this field at a cost of €750,000 (£580,000).[4] To commemorate his contribution to football, it was named after Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger.[5] The stadium is located 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) between Duppigheim and Duttlenheim but is considered to be administratively in Duppigheim. Duppigheim residents jokingly stated "who will tell the guys in Duttlenheim?" upon the news that the stadium named after Wenger would be in Duppigheim.[6]
The stadium was opened by Wenger in May 2016 in front of 600 people. During the ceremony, he stated that he recalled: "When I was little, this stadium was a field of potatoes. Now it looks like Wembley."[4] Wenger also stated that "It’s an honour. I am a little surprised."[7] The USL Duppigheim chairman Peter Troesch stated that it was an "easy choice" and proclaimed that "He [Wenger] deserves to have one in every village in Alsace and France."[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger opens stadium named after him in France". ESPN. 23 May 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
- ^ "Arsenal news: 'Stade Arsene Wenger' – stadium named after Arsenal boss". Metro. 22 May 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
- ^ "Arsène Wenger inaugure un stade à son nom en Alsace" (in French). Lequipe.fr. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
- ^ a b "Arsène Wenger donne son nom au stade de football de Duppigheim" (in French). Francebleu.fr. 22 February 1999. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
- ^ Whaling, James (22 May 2016). "Arsene Wenger travels back to hometown in Alsace to open new stadium named after him – Mirror Online". Mirror.co.uk. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
- ^ A Duppigheim, Floréal Hernandez (22 May 2016). "Arsène Wenger inaugure le premier stade à son nom à 3 km de son village natal" (in French). 20minutes.fr. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
- ^ Vaishali Bhardwaj (22 May 2016). "Stade Arsene Wenger: Arsenal manager opens venue in French region where he grew up". Evening Standard. Retrieved 23 May 2016.