5 Things To Know About Principality Stadium In Cardiff
5 Things To Know About Principality Stadium In Cardiff
Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, will host both the EPCR Challenge Cup and Investec Champions Cup Finals this weekend.
European Rugby is taking over Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, this week, and the stage is ready for back-to-back matchups that will settle who is the best team in each of the two competitions.
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The final matches of the EPCR Challenge Cup and the Investec Champions Cup will be hosted at Principality Stadium on Friday, May 23 and Saturday, May 24, respectively.
The EPCR Challenge Cup will feature Lyon OU Rugby and Bath Rugby, while the Investec Champions Cup includes the Northampton Saints and Union-Bordeaux Begles.
Principality Stadium has seen more than just rugby, however, as it has served as a staple venue for some of the biggest stars in music, football and motorsports.
Here are a few things to know about Principality Stadium:
The Renaming Of Millennium Stadium
Prior to being named Principality Stadium, the building held the name Millennium Stadium since its construction in 1999.
In 2015, the Welsh Rugby Union, the stadium’s home team, signed a 10-year sponsorship deal with the Principality Building Society, thus officially renaming it to Principality Stadium the following year.
Initially Built For The Rugby World Cup
Principality Stadium was constructed in 1999, but before that, Cardiff RFC and Wales both played home games in the National Stadium.
By 1995, it was decided that the Wales Rugby Union would be the host of the 1999 Rugby World Cup, and National Stadium was looking unfit for the job.
The National Stadium was demolished and replaced by Principality Stadium, built just in time to see Wales Rugby beat the South Africa Springboks for the first time in June 1999.
One Of Two In Europe With Retractable Roof
Being one of two stadiums in Europe to have this feature, Principality Stadium has a retractable roof, and it's the largest stadium by capacity to have one.
The total capacity of Principality Stadium is 74,500, a major upgrade from the National Stadium’s 53,000.
Previous Challenge Cup Final Host
This year will not mark Principality Stadium’s first time hosting the EPCR Challenge Cup Final.
The venue was home to the Challenge Cup Final from 2003-2005, seeing matchups between Bradford and Leeds, St. Helens and Wigans and Hull FC and Leeds.
The 2005 game between Hull FC and Leeds recorded the largest rugby crowd in Principality Stadium history with 74,213 fans.
2012 Summer Olympics Site For Football (Soccer)
Arguably the most prestigious event that has ever been set at Principality Stadium is the 2012 Summer Olympics, since the Games were hosted in London.
The stadium was selected as one of the venues for men’s and women’s football, including the opening event that saw Great Britain defeat New Zealand 1-0 in the women’s competition.
It also held four other group games and a quarterfinal in the women’s tournament as well as three group games, a quarterfinal and a bronze-medal match for the men’s tournament.
Where To Watch The 2024-2025 Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup Final
Fans in North America can catch the action live on FloRugby, the official EPCR streaming partner, as the two matchups take place in Cardiff.
How To Watch Rugby Matches In The United States On FloRugby
FloRugby and FloSports also are the U.S. home to:
FloRugby also is home to match archives and match replays.