Stade Vélodrome has anchored Marseille’s Sainte-Marguerite neighborhood since June 13, 1937, growing from a cycling-and-football venue into one of France’s largest and loudest stadiums. Designed by architect Henri Ploquin, it has served as the permanent home of Olympique de Marseille for nearly nine decades, hosting some of the most passionate crowds in European football.
As of July 2026, the ground carries a new name — CEPAC Vélodrome — after a naming-rights switch from Orange, but fans, media, and most references still call it Stade Vélodrome out of habit. Whatever it’s called, this guide covers the stadium’s full World Cup and Euros history, how big it really is, and everything you need to plan an actual visit: tickets, tours, parking, and getting there.
Quick Answer
Stade Vélodrome — officially renamed CEPAC Vélodrome in July 2026 — is Olympique de Marseille’s 67,394-seat home ground at 3 Boulevard Michelet in Marseille, France, opened June 13, 1937. Match tickets and self-guided stadium tours are sold through OM’s official channels, and the ground is best reached via Marseille Metro Line 2 (Rond-Point du Prado or Sainte-Marguerite Dromel stations), since on-site parking is extremely limited.
From Cycling Velodrome to World Cup Stage
True to its name, the stadium began as a cycling velodrome built alongside a football pitch, a layout that shaped its steep, enclosed bowl design. That bowl went on to host an outsized share of the sport’s biggest tournaments: Stade Vélodrome staged matches at the 1938 and 1998 FIFA World Cups, the UEFA European Championship in 1960, 1984, and 2016, the Rugby World Cup in both 2007 and 2023, and football at the 2024 Paris Olympics — a résumé few club stadiums in the world can match.
Capacity grew steadily through the 20th century, reaching 60,031 for the 1998 World Cup, before a major 2011–2014 rebuild ahead of Euro 2016 removed the old track’s remaining footprint and pushed seating to its current 67,394. That renovation also added a roof weighing roughly 5,500 tonnes, giving the stadium full cover for the first time in its history and earning it UEFA category 4 status, the governing body’s top venue rating.
The Matchday Atmosphere
Marseille’s supporters are famous for turning Stade Vélodrome into one of the most intimidating atmospheres in French football, with flares, constant chanting, and a stadium bowl engineered to amplify noise back onto the pitch. The steep stands and complete roof added during the 2014 renovation trap sound in a way the original open-air bowl never could, and opposing players routinely cite it as one of Ligue 1’s toughest away trips.
Beyond OM’s Ligue 1 fixtures, the venue occasionally hosts RC Toulon rugby matches, French national team games, and major concerts, and its scale keeps it in regular rotation for international football and rugby tournaments.
Getting Tickets and Taking a Stadium Tour
Match tickets are sold in tiers based on stand and proximity to the pitch — the same pattern most large European club stadiums follow, with single-match tickets, packs for multiple fixtures, and season memberships all available at different price points. Because exact pricing and on-sale dates shift by season and opponent, the only reliable source is the club’s own ticketing platform, linked from the official Olympique de Marseille stadium site.
Away from matchdays, OM runs a self-guided Stadium Tour that typically runs about an hour, starting near Gate 18 at the top of the parvis Jean Bouin on Boulevard Michelet. It takes visitors through the player locker rooms, the tunnel the team uses to reach the pitch, and the press conference room. Tour availability, hours, and current pricing are best confirmed on the official OM site before you go, since schedules change around fixtures and off-season maintenance.
Getting to the Stadium: Location, Parking, and Transit
Stade Vélodrome sits at 3 Boulevard Michelet in Marseille’s Sainte-Marguerite and Saint-Giniez districts, about four kilometers south of the Old Port. Marseille Metro Line 2 serves the stadium directly from two stations: Rond-Point du Prado, which feeds the Jean Bouin and Virage Nord stands, and Sainte-Marguerite Dromel, which feeds the Ganay and Virage Sud stands. The line connects through to Marseille Saint-Charles train station, with extra trains typically added on matchdays.
On-site and street parking around the ground is extremely limited on event days, so most visitors use paid parking operators such as Q-Park or Indigo Neo, or park farther out and ride in via the metro’s park-and-ride facilities. As with any major European stadium, expect a bag-size restriction and standard prohibited-item checks at the gates — check the official site for the current policy before you travel with anything larger than a small bag.
CEPAC Vélodrome: A New Name for an Old Icon
Naming rights at the stadium have shifted twice in the last decade. Orange held the rights from June 2016 through a reported 10-year deal, giving the ground its familiar “Orange Vélodrome” branding. That agreement expired in mid-2026, and BPCE Group — through its regional subsidiary Caisse d’Épargne Provence Alpes Corse (CEPAC), a longtime club partner — took over naming rights starting July 2, 2026, rebranding the venue as CEPAC Vélodrome.
Despite the corporate name on the signage, both supporters and most media coverage still refer to the ground simply as Stade Vélodrome, the name it has carried since 1937 and the one most likely to appear in historical references, ticket listings, and casual conversation for years to come.
Stade Vélodrome stadium guide FAQs
How many people does Stade Vélodrome hold?
Its current capacity is 67,394, reached after the 2011–2014 renovation carried out ahead of Euro 2016.
Which team plays at Stade Vélodrome?
Olympique de Marseille has called it home since the stadium opened in 1937, and it remains OM’s permanent Ligue 1 ground today.
Is Stade Vélodrome still called that, or is it CEPAC Vélodrome now?
Both. The stadium’s official name became CEPAC Vélodrome on July 2, 2026, after a naming-rights deal with Caisse d’Épargne Provence Alpes Corse replaced the previous Orange sponsorship, but fans and much of the media still call it Stade Vélodrome.
How do I buy tickets or book a stadium tour?
Both match tickets and the self-guided Stadium Tour are sold through Olympique de Marseille’s official ticketing channels, linked from the club’s official stadium page — that’s the most reliable source for current prices and schedules.
How do I get to the stadium without a car?
Marseille Metro Line 2 stops right at the stadium, with Rond-Point du Prado and Sainte-Marguerite Dromel stations serving different stands. Given how limited on-site parking is on matchdays, the metro is generally the easier option.
When did Stade Vélodrome open?
It opened on June 13, 1937, and has been renovated several times since, most significantly during the 2011–2014 rebuild that added the current roof.
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