Hampden Park

Overview

The stadium is celebrating its centenary this year and for virtually all of this period it has held the status of Scotland's National Stadium. As such, it has been the venue for some truly memorable games at both club and national level, perhaps none more so than the 1960 European Cup final when Real Madrid defeated Eintracht Frankfurt 7 - 3 in what is widely regarded as the finest club game ever. Over 130,000 fans crammed into Hampden that night and while current capacity of 52,000 is only one-third that of the record attendance set in 1937, Hampden can still attract games of the highest calibre, as was proved in 2000, when it once again played host to the European Champions League final.

Five-Star Renovation
As the 20th century was drawing to a close, Hampden was clearly in need of modernization. The process formally began in 1990 and over the course of the next decade, each of the four stands - the North, South, East and West - were rebuilt and refurbished at a total cost in excess of £70 million (€š¬102 million), transforming it into an ultra-modern all-seated stadium. Supporter facilities were now second-to-none, as were the backroom, hospitality, media and medical services, a fact recognized by the granting of UEFA's coveted Five Star status (one of only two in Scotland) which allows it to host major European finals. Although not particularly large for a national stadium, it still retains it's charm and individual character which is enhanced by it's completely enclosed oval shape.

The Stands
Three sides of the stadium are single-tiered, but the South Stand incorporates a small second tier, which slightly overhangs the lower one. Fortunately, it been well integrated with the rest of the stadium and does not unbalance the overall design.

Fans are set well back from the playing action as there is a quite a gap between the first rows of seats and the pitch. There is also a large free area behind each goal, which means fans in the East and West Stands are quite far from the pitch. The shallow incline of the stands can also make it quite difficult to see action at the other end of the ground. However, the leg room between rows is good, as are the facilities available and the atmosphere generated within the stadium can be superb.

Hampden Park is a stadium all Scots can be proud of, providing a home for the national team, a neutral venue for semis and finals, and a first-class facility for a wide range of events such as concerts, American football and large outdoor meetings.








Memberships: Scottish Football Association
Scottish Football League