Stade Chaban-Delmas

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Stade Chaban-Delmas

Former names	Parc des Sports (1924–1938) Parc Lescure (1938–2001)
Location	Bordeaux, France
Coordinates	44°49′45″N 0°35′52″W / 44.82917°N 0.59778°W / 44.82917; -0.59778
Owner	City of Bordeaux
Capacity	34,462
Field size	120 m × 73 m (394 ft × 240 ft)
Surface	Grass
Construction
Built	1924
Opened	30 March 1924 (1924-03-30)
Renovated	1938, 1987, 1998, 2008
Tenants
FC Girondins de Bordeaux (1938–2015) Union Bordeaux Bègles (2011–present)

Stade Chaban-Delmas is a sporting stadium located in the city of Bordeaux, France. It was the home ground of FC Girondins de Bordeaux. Since 2011, it has also hosted matches of Top 14 rugby team Union Bordeaux Bègles.

Until 2001, the stadium's name was the Stade du Parc Lescure, so called after the fallow lands on which it was built (Lescure is from earlier d'Escure, a transformation of "des Cures," part of the name of the chapelle Saint-Laurent-des-Cures-lès-Bourdeaus, formerly a prominent feature of the area).^[1] That year it was renamed after Resistance fighter and politician Jacques Chaban-Delmas, who was the mayor of Bordeaux from 1947 to 1995.

First built in 1924 as a cycle-racing track, in 1935 it was reconfigured to accommodate the upcoming 1938 FIFA World Cup. Rebuilt by the architects Jacques d'Welles and Raoul Jourde in an Art déco style, it opened on 12 June 1938 and was the first stadium in the world to have stands entirely covered without any pillars obstructing visibility of the playing area. Classified as a historic building, its restoration has been difficult, as its roof does not cover seats built after 1984 on the old cycle track.

The current seating capacity of the stadium is 34,462, following a series of expansions of the stands, in particular for the 1998 FIFA World Cup. A record 40,211 spectators were in attendance on 24 April 1985 to watch a match between Girondins de Bordeaux and Juventus. In preparation for several matches that were held here for the 2007 Rugby World Cup, two giant television screens measuring 37 m² were installed.

The tunnel connecting the locker rooms of the players to the ground is the longest in Europe (close to 120 meters).

On 19 July 2011, FC Girondins de Bordeaux announced plans to construct a new stadium, located in Bordeaux-Lac, with seating capacity of 42,115 for sporting events. Construction of the Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux began in 2013 and ended in April 2015.