Goffertstadion

The Goffertstadion (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈɣɔfərtˌstaːdijɔn]), formerly known as McDOS Goffertstadion (Dutch: [mɑɡˈdɔs ˈxɔf-]) for sponsorship reasons, is a football stadium in Nijmegen, Netherlands, located in the Goffertpark. It is home to the football club NEC. The stadium was opened on 8 July 1939 by Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands. Since 1951 the opening of the International Four Days Marches Nijmegen, the so-called Vlaggenparade, a parade with the national flags of all participants is held in the stadium. NEC Nijmegen are the tenants of the 12,470-capacity venue. On 19 October 1983, NEC played a UEFA Cup Winners' Cup match against FC Barcelona, still seen as the most important match ever played in the Goffert stadium. The stadium was rebuilt into a modern facility with all seats covered and heated; the catering facilities were also updated. The first home match in the new stadium took place in September 1999. The grand re-opening was on 25 January 2000. One of the main changes was situating the spectators closer to the playing ground. The goal was to create an improved atmosphere in the renovated stadium and enhance the players' interaction with the crowd. The playing field and the rest of the stadium are separated from each other by a promenade, situated under the spectators' seats. This promenade serves a dual purpose: it prevents supporters from entering the playing field while also accommodating food and beverage outlets, as well as bathrooms. A specially constructed space under the playing ground can store heat to warm up the playing area, allowing matches to take place during winter. In November 2007 the board of NEC and the city of Nijmegen presented new plans for De Goffert. The capacity is intended to be increased to 20,000 and the stadium will be placed largely underground inside a large hill. This...