Arena Națională

The ground on Bulevardul Basarabia was not built on empty land. The old Stadionul Național, later Stadionul Lia Manoliu, stood on the site until it was pulled down across 2007 and 2008, and the German practice Gerkan, Marg and Partners drew the replacement that went up in its place. The work ran late almost from the start — twenty weeks behind by May 2009, further delayed that December by weather and by the technical problems of building above an underground metro line. An estimate of €120 million in 2007 became roughly €234 million by the end, pushed up by a retractable roof added to the scope, by material prices and by contractual changes. All of it came from public money, central government and the Bucharest city budget.

The opening was meant to be 10 August 2011, but Argentina withdrew and the match was cancelled. The stadium instead began on 6 September with a Euro 2012 qualifier against France that finished goalless.

Before Euro 2020 the natural pitch was taken up and replaced with hybrid grass, and the ground went on to host four matches of that tournament, including France against Switzerland in the round of 16.