St. Jakob-Park

The ground sits where the village of St. Jakob an der Birs once stood, a fact the name preserves though the landscape has been entirely resurfaced. Herzog & de Meuron designed the structure, which replaced the old St. Jakob Stadium that had served the city since 1954. The new arena opened on 15 March 2001, with FC Basel moving from the previous site to take up residence. The capacity sat at 33,433 when the roof first closed; it was extended to 42,500 ahead of the European Championship in 2008.

What distinguishes this place is not its history—though it predates the millennium—but the volume of spectators it holds at one time. The pitch itself is natural grass, a surface maintained by a heating system that was completely overhauled in July 2024. There was talk of a hybrid surface, but the project was scrapped in favour of a fundamental rebuild of the existing turf, a decision that kept the cost down while ensuring the ground could host the next European tournament.

The stadium has no other names, no corporate sponsors attached to its title since the day it opened, which means it has carried the same identity for over two decades.

It is a functional space, built for football, and it has hosted games since the first match was played under its lights.