The Orange Vélodrome: From Cycling Track to Top-Tier Stadium

After a botched renovation in the late 1990s, the Orange Vélodrome has become one of Europe’s top stadiums following its modernization for UEFA EURO 2016. The iconic cycling track, however, has long been a thing of the past.

Since 1937, football has been played at the Vélodrome in Marseille. Originally built for the 1938 FIFA World Cup, the venue had an initial capacity of 30,000 spectators. About a year before the tournament's third edition, Olympique Marseille inaugurated the stadium with a match against AC Torino. The cycling track, which gave the stadium its name, was included from the start, providing an additional use beyond football.