Stade Louis II

The original Stade Louis II was opened in 1939 as the home of AS Monaco. The decision to build a new sports centre in Monaco dates back to 1979. Prince Rainier III decided to establish a sports area in the Fontvieille district. The prince brought in Parisian architects to build the complex. The work began in May 1981 and ended in 1984, and required 120,000 m³ of concrete, 9,000 tonnes of iron and 2,000 tonnes of steel structure on a median land reclaimed from the sea. The complex was inaugurated on 25 January 1985 by Rainier III.

The stadium has a current seating capacity of 16,360 (almost half of the country's population), and is named after Louis II, Prince of Monaco, who was the Sovereign Prince of Monaco when the original stadium was built. The vast majority of the stadium's facilities are located underground, including the Gaston-Médecin multi-sports centre, the Prince Albert II aquatic centre and a large car park directly under the pitch.

The stadium has hosted major professional boxing world title fights from time to time; those include the Julio César Chávez, Sr. versus Rocky Lockridge contest.{{Cite web |title=BoxRec |url=https://boxrec.com/en/login?error=limit |access-date=2024-12-08 |website=boxrec.com}}

The stadium also hosts the cup finals of the Challenge Prince Rainier III,{{Cite web|url=https://www.hellomonaco.com/news/sport/46th-rainier-iii-challenge-monacos-own-premier-football-tournament/|title=46th Rainier III Challenge: Monaco’s own Premier Football Tournament|date=3 June 2024|accessdate=1 December 2024|publisher=Hello Monaco}} Monaco's main competition for Monegasque amateur company football teams.

The stadium hosted the athletics events in the 1987 and 2007 Games of the Small States of Europe, and is scheduled to host it again in the 2027 event.

The Salle Gaston Médecin indoor arena is located under the stands of the football stadium. Salle Gaston Médecin is able to host basketball, volleyball, and handball games, as well as judo and fencing matches, and weightlifting and gymnastics competitions. It has a seating capacity of 5,000 people for basketball games and concerts.[https://monacolife.net/roca-boys-book-historic-return-to-euroleague-final-four-after-thriller-in-monaco/ Roca Boys book historic return to EuroLeague Final Four after thriller in Monaco.][https://www.varmatin.com/basket/la-nouvelle-salle-de-basket-gaston-medecin-sera-prete-fin-septembre-a-monaco-789116 La nouvelle salle de basket Gaston-Médecin sera prête fin septembre à Monaco.][https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/game-center/2024-25/as-monaco-fc-barcelona/E2024/325/#boxscore Attendance 5000.][https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/news/euroleague-regular-season-attendance-sets-new-record/ EuroLeague regular season attendance sets new record.]

The stadium complex, besides the football stadium and athletics track and the Salle Gaston Médecin, also contains the aquatic centre Prince Albert II, a large office complex, and also houses the International University of Monaco (IUM), which specializes in business education.

File:Monaco005.jpg|{{center|A top view of the stadium}}

File:Arches of Stade Louis II.jpg|{{center|Arches of Stade Louis II}}

File:Stade Louis II (esterno).JPG|{{center|Stadium exterior}}

File:Salle Gaston Médecin.JPG|{{center|The Salle Gaston Médecin indoor arena, which is used by the AS Monaco basketball club}}

Only rarely have national teams played at the stadium:

{{football box collapsible

|date = 5 February 1988

|round = 1988 Tournoi de France
bronze final

|team1 = {{fb-rt|SUI}}

|score = 2–1

|team2 = {{fb|AUT}}

|goals1 = Koller {{goal|25}}
Sutter {{goal|65}}

|goals2 = Geiger {{goal|48|og}}

|stadium = Stade Louis II

|location = Monaco

|attendance = 3,000

|referee = Michel Girard (France)

|result = W

}}

{{football box collapsible

|date = 5 February 1988

|time =

|round = 1988 Tournoi de France
final

|team1 = {{fb-rt|FRA|1974}}

|score = 2–1

|report = [http://www.fff.fr/equipes-de-france/1/france-a/matchs/1009/1988-02-05/france-maroc Match Report]

|team2 = {{fb|MAR}}

|goals1 = Lamriss {{goal|9|o.g.}}
Stopyra {{goal|49}}

|goals2 = Lamriss {{goal|34}}

|stadium = Stade Louis II

|location = Monaco

|attendance = 10,000

|referee = Michel Vautrot (France)

|result = W

}}

{{football box collapsible

|date = 11 February 1997

|time = 20:00 UTC+1

|round = 1998 WCQ

|team1 = {{fb-rt|EST}}

|score = 0 – 0

|report =

|team2 = {{fb|SCO}}

|stadium = Stade Louis II

|location = Monaco

|attendance = 3,766

|referee = Saïd Ennjimi (France)

|result = D

}}

{{football box collapsible

|date = 3 March 2010

|time = 20:45 UTC+1

|round = International friendly

|team1 = {{fb-rt|ITA}}

|score = 0 – 0

|report = [https://web.archive.org/web/20101007203959/http://fecafootonline.com/?lng=1&module=resultats_national&rub=1&div=2008&res=97077&ma=37800 (Report)]

|team2 = {{fb|CMR}}

|stadium = Stade Louis II

|location = Monaco

|attendance = 10,752

|referee = Saïd Ennjimi (France)

|result = D

}}

{{football box collapsible

|date = 5 June 2016

|time = 18:00 UTC+2

|round = International friendly

|team1 = {{fb-rt|RUS}}

|score = 1–1

|report =

|team2 = {{fb|SRB}}

|goals1 = Dzyuba {{goal|85}}

|goals2 = Mitrović {{goal|88}}

|stadium = Stade Louis II

|location = Monaco

|attendance = 2,000

|referee =

|result = D

}}

• Geography of Monaco
• Lists of stadiums

{{Reflist}}

{{Coord|43|43|39|N|7|24|56|E|type:landmark|display=title}}

{{Commons category}}

• [http://www.stadelouis2.mc/ Stade Louis II]
• [https://www.asmonaco.com/en/club/stade-louis-2/presentation-of-the-stade-louis-2/ Presentation Stade Louis II]

{{S-start}}

{{Succession box

| title = UEFA Super Cup
Match venue

| before = Two-legged matches

| after = Eden Arena
Prague

| years = 1998–2012

}}

{{S-end}}

{{Ligue 1 venues}}

{{AS Monaco FC}}

{{UEFA Super Cup venues}}

{{Diamond League venues}}

{{Authority control}}

Stade Louis II

Category:Diamond League venues

Category:Fontvieille, Monaco

Category:Sports venues in Monaco

Category:Football venues in Monaco

Category:Athletics (track and field) venues in Monaco

Category:National stadiums

Category:Sports venues completed in 1939

Stade Louis II