From Basel to Zurich: Discover the cities and stadiums hosting Euro 2025

Winnipeg Free Press

17 hours ago

The Women's European Championship will be played in eight cities across Switzerland.
The 31 matches will be spread across Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lucerne, Sion, St. Gallen, Thun and Zurich. The opening game features Iceland against Finland on Wednesday at Arena Thun.
Four of the stadiums have held matches in the men's European Championship, when Switzerland co-hosted the tournament with Austria in 2008.
Here's a closer look at the cities and stadiums:
Basel
Commonly considered to be the cultural capital of Switzerland, Basel boasts a rich history and is home to the oldest public art collection in the world, housed in the Kunstmuseum Basel since 1661. Basel is Switzerland's third-most-populous city and is situated in the northwest of the country, bordering both France and Germany. The Dreiländereck of Basel, also known as the tripoint, is a monument marking the exact point where the borders meet. Tennis great Roger Federer was born in Basel and is a big fan of its local soccer team.
Stadium: St. Jakob-Park is Switzerland's largest soccer venue, with a capacity of 34,250. It will host five matches, including the final on July 27 and the home nation's opening match on Wednesday. It is the home of Swiss national champion Basel so has regularly hosted Champions League matches as well as Euro 2008 quarterfinals and a semifinal, and a Europa League final in 2016. The stadium is nicknamed 'Joggeli' by the fans — a diminutive of 'Jakob' in the local dialect. It has also hosted many concerts.
Bern
Switzerland's federal capital is located in the west-central part of the country. Bern city center is largely medieval and has been recognized by UNESCO as a Cultural World Heritage Site. The most famous sights are the Zytglogge, an elaborate medieval clock tower with moving puppets, and the Münster, an impressive 15th century Gothic cathedral — the tallest in Switzerland. There is also a museum dedicated to Albert Einstein, at his former residence.
Stadium: Stadion Wankdorf is the country's second-largest soccer stadium, with a capacity of 29,800. It is the home of the Young Boys soccer team. The venue opened in 2005 and was built on the grounds of the stadium that hosted the 1954 World Cup final. Bruce Springsteen, Elton John and Red Hot Chilli Peppers are among those to have played concerts in the stadium. It will host four matches at Euro 2025, including World Cup winner Spain's opening match against Portugal on July 3 as well as a quarterfinal.
Geneva
The second-most populous city in Switzerland, Geneva is a center for international diplomacy and finance. It hosts the highest number of international organizations in the world — including the European headquarters of the United Nations, the World Health Organization and the Red Cross. The city is located in southwestern Switzerland, almost encircled by the French border, in a picturesque basin at the tip of Lake Geneva and has a clear view of Mont Blanc, the highest Alpine peak.
Stadium: Stade de Genève has a capacity of 26,750 and was completed in 2003 after three years of construction. It hosted three group stage games during Euro 2008 and held other international fixtures, notably a friendly between Argentina and Portugal in 2011 — the first time Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo faced each other while playing for their countries. It regularly holds rugby matches and even ice hockey games. It will host five matches at Euro 2025, including a quarterfinal and semifinal.
Lucerne
With a population of approximately 83,000 people, Lucerne is the most populous city in central Switzerland. It boasts the oldest covered bridge in Europe, built in 1333. It also has a colorful old town, where the buildings are decorated with murals depicting village life and hunting scenes from the olden days. That adds to the picturesque quality of Lucerne, which is set on the shores of Lake Lucerne and the River Reuss.
Stadium: Allmend Stadion Luzern, which opened in 2011, was completely rebuilt after the previous stadium was deemed no longer suitable for use in the Swiss Super League. It has a matchday capacity of 14,350 and will be used for three group stage matches — all involving the two tournament debutants, Poland and Wales.
Sion
Situated near the Italian and French borders, Sion is one of the driest and sunniest areas of Switzerland. Sion is one of Europe's most significant prehistoric sites with the first settlements dating back to 6200 BC. The city is dotted with hills, the highest of which is Tourbillon with the ruins of a castle. On the opposite hill stands the Basilique de Valère, which houses the oldest playable organ in the world, built in the early 1430s. Sion has had multiple bids to host the Winter Olympics but never won.
Stadium: The Stade de Tourbillon is the smallest of all the venues for Euro 2025 as it has a matchday capacity of just 7,750. It has nevertheless hosted a number of men's international matches, including one of Switzerland's qualifiers for Euro 2020. It is named after the castle that overlooks the city.
St. Gallen
Nestled in a northeastern valley between Lake Constance and the Appenzell Alps, St. Gallen is one of the highest cities in Switzerland. Its university is considered one of the best business schools in Europe and its Abbey District, which includes a medieval monastic library, has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Stadium: Arena St. Gallen opened in 2008 and will have a capacity of 16,300 at Euro 2025, where it will host three group stage matches — including defending champion England's game against Wales. The city's largest solar-electric power plant was installed on the stadium roof in 2015. The system was expanded at the start of this year and will now generate enough solar power for the needs of approximately 288 four-person households.
Thun
Thun is located about 30 kilometers southeast of Bern, where the river Aare flows out of Lake Thun. It has stunning views of the Bernese Alps. There is also a 12th-century castle, with impressive turrets, overlooking the old town.
Stadium: Arena Thun is the second smallest of the venues, with a capacity of 8,100. It opened in 2011 and was built on the site of the old stadium. Natural turf will be laid over the existing artificial turf for the three group stage matches it will host during Euro 2025, including world champion Spain against Belgium.
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Zurich
Zurich is the most populous city in Switzerland and lies in the north of the country near the Alps. The Old Town stretches on both sides of the river Limmat, which flows out of Lake Zurich. It is an international hub for banking and insurance and also the home to FIFA.
Stadium: Stadion Letzigrund has a capacity of 22,700 and is home to an athletics club and three soccer teams. Concerts have been staged there as well as men's and women's international matches and three group stage games at Euro 2008. It will host five matches at Euro 2025, including two of defending champion England's group games and a quarterfinal and semifinal. In 1960, Armin Hary became the first man to run 100 meters in 10 seconds on the track at the old Letzigrund stadium, which was demolished and rebuilt, reopening in 2007. Many athletes have set world records at the Weltklasse Zürich, a track and field meeting that has been held at the stadium for nearly 100 years.
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