Johan Cruijff Arena

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Updated On :07 Apr, 2021

Full Name
Johan Cruijff Arena

Capacity
55,500

Type
Both Indoor & Outdoor

Location
Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands

Surface Type
Grass

The Johan Cruijff Arena, formerly known as Amsterdam Arena, is an innovatively constructed stadium in the Netherlands, considered as the largest stadium in its city. Its construction started in 1993 and ended in 1996 with a cost of €140 million. A Dutch architecture Rob Schuurman designed the stadium with a capacity of 53,490 spectators that can be extended to 71,000 for music concerts. The Johan Cruijff Arena is currently home to the Ajax Football Club. It has also been the stamping ground for the Amsterdam Admirals (a professional American football league team), from 1997 to 2007. The stadium boasts of a retractable roof that covers a grass surface. Four different roofs in a year were tested before finalizing one. The arena is used to host various sports and entertainment events and has a parking facility for 500 cars inside it and for 12,000 cars outside. The stadium was formerly called Amsterdam Arena until the 2018-19 football season when it was officially renamed in honour of the legendary Dutch footballer Johan Cruijff, who died in 2016.

Trivia

Johan Cruijff Arena is one of the only two stadiums to be rated as five stars stadium in the Netherlands by the UEFA.
It took the construction groups "Ballast Nedam" and "Royal BAM Group" 3 years to complete the construction due to government intrusion and indecent halts.

Significance

The Gay Games were held at the venue in 1998. The event was attended by several national and international celebrities.
Johan Cruijff Arena has been chosen to host the Euro 2020 but later postponed to the summer of 2021.
The inauguration was delighted with a match between Ajax and A.C. Milan in which the latter won by 3-0.
Notable kick boxers such as Peter Aerts, Semmy Schilt, Badr Hari and Ernesto Hoost have participated in the boxing events held here.
Michael Jackson performed 5 sold out concerts at the arena during his "History World Tour" in 1997.
The arena has witnessed outstanding performances of various notable rock bands and celebrities such as "The Rolling Stones", Tina Turner, Bon Jovi, U2, Madonna, and Beyoncé.
Robbie Williams and David Bowie have also performed in this arena several times.