Stade Arsène Wenger

Stade Arsène Wenger
Stade Arsène Wenger
Full name Stade Arsène Wenger
Location Duppigheim, Alsace, France
Operator USL Duppigheim
Capacity 500
Opened 23 May 2016 (2016-05-23)
Arsène Wenger, for whom the stadium is named

Stade Arsène Wenger (French: 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 manager of the Premier League team Arsenal, Arsène Wenger who grew up in nearby Duttlenheim.[2]

History

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

  1. 1 2 "Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger opens stadium named after him in France". ESPN. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
  2. ↑ "Arsenal news: 'Stade Arsene Wenger' – stadium named after Arsenal boss". Metro. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
  3. ↑ "Arsène Wenger inaugure un stade à son nom en Alsace" (in French). Lequipe.fr. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
  4. 1 2 "Arsène Wenger donne son nom au stade de football de Duppigheim" (in French). Francebleu.fr. 1999-02-22. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
  5. ↑ Whaling, James. "Arsene Wenger travels back to hometown in Alsace to open new stadium named after him – Mirror Online". Mirror.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
  6. ↑ A Duppigheim, Floréal Hernandez. "Arsène Wenger inaugure le premier stade à son nom à 3 km de son village natal" (in French). 20minutes.fr. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
  7. ↑ Vaishali Bhardwaj. "Stade Arsene Wenger: Arsenal manager opens venue in French region where he grew up". Evening Standard. Retrieved 2016-05-23.

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