UEFA stadium categories

UEFA stadium categories are categories for association football stadiums laid out in the UEFA Stadium Infrastructure Regulations.^[1] Using these regulations, stadiums are rated as category one, two, three, or four (renamed from elite) in ascending ranking order. These categories replaced the previous method of ranking stadiums on one to five star scale in 2006. A stadium must be category four to host games in the playoffs of the qualifying stage for the UEFA Champions League or any game in the main competition.^[2] Category four is also required to host any game in the main competition of the UEFA Europa League^[3] or the UEFA European Football Championship.^[4]

General

If a retractable roof is present, its use will be directed by consultation between the UEFA delegate and the main assigned referee.

Although the minimum stadium capacity for category four is 8,000, no stadium with a capacity less than 35,000 has been selected to host a UEFA Europa League Final, and no stadium with a capacity less than 60,000 has been selected to host a UEFA Champions League Final, since these regulations were introduced in 2006.

After the 2007 UEFA Champions League Final, UEFA President Michel Platini stated that he wanted European Cup finals to be held at stadiums with an average capacity of 70,000 to solve security issues.^[5] Both the Santiago Bernabéu and Wembley Stadium, hosts for the 2010 and 2011 Champions League finals, respectively, have capacities greater than 70,000, as does the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy, which hosted the 2009 Champions League Final. Wembley Stadium, the venue of the 2011 and 2013 Champions League Finals, holds 90,000 spectators. Allianz Arena, the host venue of the 2012 Champions League Final, holds 70,000 spectators. But Estádio da Luz, contradicts this rule, as this stadium hosted 65,000 spectators at 2014 UEFA Champions League Final, making the final bid's capacity requirements still unclear.

Here is a full list of European stadiums by capacity (along with UEFA category) to demonstrate which stadiums could be in contention to host future Champions League finals.

Differences between categories

Criteria	Category 1	Category 2	Category 3	Category 4
Field of play	100 to 105 m long, 64 to 68 m wide		105 m long, 68 m wide
Minimum size of referee's dressing room	n/a		20 m^2
Minimum floodlighting	to suit broadcaster	800 vertical lux to fixed cameras 500 vertical lux to mobile cameras	1200 vertical lux to fixed cameras 800 vertical lux to mobile cameras	1400 vertical lux to fixed cameras
VIP parking	10	50	100	150
Spectator standing allowed	yes	no
Minimum Seated capacity	200	1.500	4.500	8,000
Minimum total VIP seats	50	100	250	500
VIP seats for visiting team	10	20	50	100
VIP hospitality area	n/a			400 m^2
Minimum media working area	50 m^2	100 m^2 for 50 people		200 m^2 for 75 people
Minimum number of photographers	n/a		15	25
Minimum space for main camera platform	4 m^2 for at least 1 camera	6 m^2 for 2 cameras		10 m^2 for 4 cameras
Minimum number of seats in the press box	20, 5 with desks	20, 10 with desks	50, 25 with desks	100, 50 with desks
Minimum number of commentary positions	2	3	5	25
Minimum number of TV studios	1 room that can be converted	1	2	2, at least 1 with a view of the pitch
Minimum post-match interview positions	n/a			4
Minimum outside broadcast van area	100 m^2	200 m^2		1,000 m^2
Minimum number of seats in press conference room	1	30	50	75

See also

• List of European stadiums by capacity

References

1. "UEFA Stadium Infrastructure Regulations Edition 2010" (PDF). UEFA. March 2010. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
2. "Regulations of the UEFA Champions League 2010/11" (PDF). UEFA. March 2010. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
3. "Regulations for the UEFA Europa League 2010/11" (PDF). March 2010. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
4. "Regulations of the UEFA European Football Championship 2010–12" (PDF). UEFA. September 2009. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
5. "Update 1-Soccer-Platini wants Champions League final at weekend". Reuters. 30 August 2008. Retrieved 10 November 2008.