Stadium
Porto's home games are played at Estádio do Dragão (English: Dragon's Stadium) in Porto. Built in 2003 as a replacement for FC Porto's old ground, Estádio das Antas, and as a venue for UEFA Euro 2004, Estádio do Dragão has an all-seated capacity of 50,399. The stadium's name is derived from the presence of a dragon on the crest of the city of Porto during the Monarchy, which is also the nickname of Porto fans.
Designed by Manuel Salgado and built by the Grupo Amorim, it cost €97,755,318, of which €18,430,956 was supported by the Portuguese taxpayers. To support costs, each stand carries one or two sponsor names: EDP for the south end, TMN and SAPO ADSL in the east stands, PT and meo for the west stands, and finally Coca-Cola in the north stands. Away fans are placed in the left corner of the North stand, while Porto supporter groups ("SuperDragões" and "Colectivo Ultras 95") are at each end, although initially both groups were in the South stand.
A new multi-sport arena near the stadium was recently completed to harbour F.C. Porto's other sports such as the handball and basketball teams, which are regular contenders for the national titles and the roller hockey section, amongst the best in the sport worldwide. Supporters and players of the club are nicknamed Portistas or Dragões.
Read more about this topic: F.C. Porto
Famous quotes containing the word stadium:
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—Patricia K. Page (b. 1916)
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—Charles Sanders Peirce (1839–1914)
“It’s no accident that of all the monuments left of the Greco- Roman culture the biggest is the ballpark, the Colosseum, the Yankee Stadium of ancient times.”
—Walter Wellesley (Red)