King Baudouin Stadium - Belgium Stadium Guide

King Baudouin Stadium first opened on 23rd August 1930 under the name of Stude du Centenaire or Jubelstadion when it was capable of accommodating 70,000 supporters. Multi-purpose by design, the athletics track remains to this day however for a short while a wooden cycling track also encircled the perimeter of the pitch.

Erected to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Belgium, the new ground was inaugurated with an official football match against neighbours, the Netherlands. The stadium’s history has at times however been characterised by neglect, and most notable in 1985, disaster.

Renamed Stade du Heysel in 1946 after the area of Brussels it resides within, the 1985 European Cup Final between Juventus and Liverpool resulted in one of the most prominent sporting disasters in the 20th century.

Known simply as the Heysel Stadium disaster, 39 spectators – mostly Juventus supporters died due to a fatal combination of poor crowd control and ageing stadium facilities. The 1980s would prove to be a turning point in European football with the subsequent event of Hillsborough four years later changing the face of modern football forever.

Withdrawn as a suitable venue for football it wasn’t until a decade later in 1995 that Heysel Stadium was extensively renovated. Renamed in honour of King Baudouin who died two years previously, over $50 million was invested in modernising the facilities in-line with European stadiums in the wake of the Taylor Report in 1990.

Below is a seating plan of Belgium's King Baudouin Stadium:

King Baudouin is comprised of a horseshoe shaped stand which spans three sides of the pitch and a separate main stand.

Click the thumbnails above to enlarge an image of each stand and to read a more detailed description of each part of the Stadium.

The majority of bars are to be found back towards the city centre however that’s not to say that you can’t get a beer at the ground – there’s usually a fanzone outside the ground!

Tours of King Baudouin Stadium are available to to the general public during the week from Monday to Tuesday between 10.00 am to 5.00 pm, and between 10.00 am to 4.00 pm on Fridays.

Costing just 6.00 for an adult and 4.00 for children, the Parcours découverte, Discovery Tour, stadium tours last approximately 60 minute and must be booked in advance via this online form.

International tickets should be purchased through your country’s football federation/association. Be advised that you can never normally purchase them on the day of the match!

King Baudouin Stadium is located just under 6.0 k north of Brussels city centre within the neighbourhood of Heysel.

The stadium’s address for satnav is as follows:

• Marathon Avenue 135, 1020 Brussels, Belgium

The easier way to travel to the stadium is undoubtedly via Brussels Metro system which consists of four metro and three premetro lines.

The stadium is served by two main stations: Roi Baudouin and Heysel which all sit on metro Line 2. metro lines.

Away fans are advised to get off at Houba-Brugmann Station as it is closest to Tribune 2.

As an international city there are numerous affordable accommodation options – indeed too many to mention here. Familiar names include the likes of Best Western, Holiday Inn and Hotel Ibis.