Aviva Stadium
Aviva Stadium also known as Lansdowne Road (Irish: Bóthar Lansdún, IPA: [ˈbˠoːhəɾˠ ˈl̪ˠan̪ˠsˠd̪ˠuːnˠ]) or Dublin Arena (during UEFA competitions) is a sports stadium located in Dublin, Ireland, with a capacity for 51,711 spectators (all seated).[9] It is built on the site of the former Lansdowne Road Stadium, which was demolished in 2007, and replaced it as home to its chief tenants: the Irish rugby union team and the Republic of Ireland football team. The decision to redevelop the stadium came after plans for both Stadium Ireland and Eircom Park fell through. Aviva Group Ireland signed a 10-year deal for the naming rights in 2009,[10] and subsequently extended the arrangement until 2025.[11]
Not to be confused with Aviva Centre or Aveva Stadium.Former names
• Lansdowne Road
• Dublin Arena
62 Lansdowne Road
Dublin 4
D04 K5F9
Ireland
New Stadium Ltd[1]
• 51,711 (rugby union, association football)[2]
• 49,000 (American football)[3][4]
• 65,000 (concerts)
106 m × 68 m (348 ft × 223 ft)
March 2007
2007–2010
14 May 2010
ME Engineers
The stadium, located beside Lansdowne Road railway station, officially opened on 14 May 2010. The stadium is Ireland's first, and only, UEFA Category 4 Stadium and in 2011, it hosted the Europa League final. It also hosted the inaugural Nations Cup, as well as the regular home fixtures of the national rugby team, national football team and some home fixtures for Leinster Rugby from August 2010 onwards.
Unlike its predecessor, which was solely owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU), the current stadium is controlled by the IRFU and the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) through a 50:50 joint venture known as the Lansdowne Road Stadium Development Company (LRSDC). The joint venture has a 60-year lease on the stadium;[12] on expiry the stadium will return to the exclusive ownership of the IRFU.[13]