History and description

The stadium was completed in 1938 and served as the home of the Italian national football team until it was closed in 1982. The Stadio Olimpico was built to serve as the centerpiece of the Foro Italia sports complex, which was initiated by the regime of Mussolini. The stadium was completed in 1938 and served as the home of the Italian national football team until it was closed in 1982. The project was completed in 1952. Construction on the first tier of the building started in 1928 and was completed in 1932. However, construction on the second tier was halted due to World War II and did not resume until December 1950. The project was completed in 1952.

The Stadio Olimpico officially opened on the 17th of May 1953 with a match between the national teams of Italy and Hungary. At that time, the stadium had a capacity of 100,000 people, which constituted mainly of terraces.

The Stadio Olimpico served as the centerpiece stadium for the 1960 Olympics, and during the Games it hosted the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as the athletics competitions.

Eight years later, the Stadio Olimpico was the principal venue of the Euro 1968 Championships. During which it hosted the match for third place and the final between Italy and Yugoslavia (2-0 after a replay).

The Stadio Olimpico remained largely unchanged until it hosted a European Champioships tournament again in 1980. It hosted three group matches and the final between West-Germany and Belgium (2-1).

During those years, it hosted two European Cup finals: the first in 1977 between Liverpool and Borussia Mönchengladbach (3-1) and the second in 1984 between again Liverpool and AS Roma (1-1).

When Italy was awarded the 1990 World Cup, it became clear that the stadium needed extensive renovation. Initial plans only addressed refurbishing the stadium, but later redesigns resulted in an almost complete new stadium being built. The stands were now much closer to the pitch and it had been equipped with a roof. This capacity allowed for 74,000 seats.

Stadio Olimpico hosted all of Italy's group matches, their round of 16 match and quarter-final during the World Cup. Germany FR won the final 1-0 against Argentina.

Later, the stadium hosted two more Champions League finals: the first in 1996 between Juventus and Ajax (1-1) and the second in 2009 between Barcelona and Manchester United (2-0).

The Stadio Olimpico underwent a last refurbishment in 2007 to keep it eligible to host future Champions League finals. This included, among others, the replacement of all seats.

AS Roma have also expressed discomfort with the stadium, though their reasons are unclear. Both AS Roma and Lazio have expressed unease at playing in the much-too-large and aged CONI-owned stadium. In the mid 2000s, Lazio had plans to move to a new stadium, but these came to nothing. AS Roma have also expressed discomfort with the stadium, though their reasons are unclear.

AS Roma are currently planning to build a new stadium, Stadio della Roma, which will have a capacity of 52,500 seats. Recently, there have been some setbacks with the project, but AS Roma remains committed to completing the stadium in 2021.

(photos of the present Stadio Olimpico below)

How to get to Stadio Olimpico

The Stadio Olimpico is located north of Rome, within the Foro Italico sports complex. It is surrounded by the river Tiber on one side and a nature reserve on the other. To get to the stadium by car, first make your way to the Rome ringroad (G.R.A.), and then take exit N5 towards Flaminia (the northern side of the G.R.A.). From there follow the signs to Foro Italico.

From there, it is a short walk to the stadium.

Alternatively, one can take bus 32 just north of Vatican City at the metro stop Ottaviano. Take the bus in the direction of Tor di Quinto and get off at the stop Stadio Tennis.

Exit the station, turn left, and walk for about 400 meters. Bus 280 can be caught from either the Castel Sant'Angelo or metro Lepanto. To catch bus 280 in the direction of Mancini, take the bus in the direction of Manzini and get off at stop Stadio Tennis. Exit the station, turn left, and walk for about 400 meters.

Address: Via Foro Italico, 00194 Roma

Eat, drink, and sleep near Stadio Olimpico

The bleachers are at the top of a long, steep hill and it can be quite loud up there. It's great for watching football matches, but not so great for taking walks or enjoying the sights and sounds of Rome. Sadly, Stadio Olimpico does not offer stadium tours, which means that on non-match days one can only see the stadium from the outside and walk around the complex. In Rome, the other major stadium, Stadio Flaminio, is located walking distance on the other side of the river.

There are few options to eat or drink at the Foro Italico complex itself, but the urban neighbourhood on the other side of the river has many typical Italian restaurants and cafes. It will not be hard to find an espresso, gelato, or pizza. However, compared with Rome's city centre, the area lacks proper nightlife, and moreover it is not close to any attractions.

There are quite a few hotels around Stadio Olimpico, though it almost always takes at least 10 to 20 minutes to walk to the stadium.

The nearby hotels include Hotel Villa Glori, Best Western Hotel Astrid, Suites Piazza del Popolo, and Face to Face House. These hotels receive good reviews and charge between ?75 and ?125 for a double room. Additionally, the tram to Piazza del Popolo passes right by these hotels.

There are many hotels south of the stadium, including Hotel Clodio and a few bed & breakfasts. The options north-east of the stadium include Hotel Farnesina and the more luxurious River Chateau Hotel. For all hotels near Stadio Olimpico click here.

If you want to stay close to the centre, but strategically locate your hotel so that it is closer to Stadio Olimpico, then staying close to Piazza del Popolo or near metro stop Ottaviano (generally cheaper) are good options. More hotels in Rome here.

AS Roma Tickets

Tickets for AS Roma matches can be bought online, by phone +39 892 982 (Listicket call centre), in person at one of the AS Roma stores (of which the ones at Piazza Colonna 360 and Via Appia Nuova 130 are most centrally located), or at the Foro Italico Ticket Office near Stadio Olimpico (Viale delle Olimpiadi 61). On the day of the match, tickets can be bought from the Foro Italico Ticket Office until kickoff (at the AS Roma stores until a few hours before kickoff). AS Roma tends to rarely sell out for high-profile matches, and even for these games tickets are generally easily available if bought in advance.

AS Roma have created two pricing categories for their home matches. Category B tickets, which are the cheapest, range in price from ?25.00 to ?65.00. Category A tickets, which are the most expensive, cost between ?35.00 and ?80.00.

You can find a seating plan here.

Lazio Tickets

Tickets for SS Lazio matches can now be bought online via Listicket, by phone +39 892 982 (Listicket call centre), in person at one of the Lazio Style 1900 stores, or at one of the Listicket sales points. The store at Via Guglielmo Calderini 66/C is located closest to the Stadio Olimpico and is open on the day of matches. There are no stores in Rome's city centre, and as such, Roma often have to sell tickets online. Lazio, on the other hand, tend to have very few tickets available for sale.

Tickets prices for matches vary depending on the opponent, but typically run around ?20.00 for a seat in the back row of the goal to ?80.00 for a more premium seat in the main stand. A few high-profile games can have ticket prices that are higher still.

You can find a stadium map here. For more information, email [email protected] or call +39 0 6 3237333.

Stadium tours

There are currently no possibilities for stadium tours at Stadio Olimpico.

Relevant Internet links

ASRoma.it is the official website of AS Roma.SSLazio.it is the official website of SS Lazio.Turismoroma.it is the official tourism website of the city of Rome.Atac.roma.it is the Rome public transport information site. The club needs to take a tour of Twickenham on match day and replicate the facilities there - without any problems or trouble whatsoever. If possible, I would appreciate a response - preferably advising that these improvements will be made!.

I would appreciate if they could take a tour of Twickenham on match day and reproduce what Twickenham provides - without any problems or trouble whatsoever.

There is a ticket facility within the stadium complex, but they did not sell the cheapest tickets in the Curva. The atmosphere was good considering the ground was only 1/3 full. There are a few bars / refreshment stands on the river bank as you approach the ground, but not much else around that we could see.

I went to the Lazio vs Sassuolo game and bought tickets from the Lazio shop about 10-12 minutes from the stadium. There was a bit of a queue so be sure to arrive early.There is also a ticket facility within the stadium complex but they did not sell the cheapest tickets in the Curva.

The atmosphere at the game was good considering only a third of the ground was full. There were a few bars and refreshment stands on the river bank as you approached the ground, but not much else around.

Wojciech wrote: March 23, 2015 at 5:03 pm The stadium is old but still very nice. Fans are crazy. I went to watch Roma- Man City game last December. You can easily buy tickets from listicket. A passport or ID is required to get to the stadium.

The stadium is old, but it's still a nice place to watch a game. The fans are crazy and they can be quite loud. I went to watch Roma play Manchester City last December and it was really fun. You need a ticket from listicket or your passport if you want to go to the stadium.

When picking up tickets from the box office, make sure you take your passport with you. There are no tours or museum available, which is disappointing.

When picking up tickets from the box office, make sure you have your passport with you. There are no tours or museum available, which is disappointing.