Stockholm - The Stockholms Stadium - Capacity: 14,500 (10,000 seats)
The Stadium – The Stockholms Stadium Lidingövägen 1, Stockholm After a season playing at the national Råsunda stadium, Djurgarden returned back to the Stockholms stadium. The original idea of this switch was borne out of a disagreement on the ownership of the commercial revenues in the municipal owned stadium. However, the team will still use the national stadium for the derby matches with AIK Solna, as well as Champions League matches (if they ever managed to get into the group stages).
The small Stockholms stadion is best known for being the venue of the 1912 Olympic Games. Many of the unique features are still retained within the stadium – including the listed towers at the east end of the stadium. Outside, the ivy-clad walls give the impression of a time gone by. In fact the stadium today looks more like its 1912 original due to the renovation work that took place in the mid 1990’s. This has been the club’s home since 1936, after moving from the Tranesberg Stadium. The current ground still retains the athletics track, and is still used for all major track and field events. The stadium consists of a horseshoe double tier stand, which sweeps around three sides of the stadium, leaving the historic Olympic stands still in existence. The club actually started their playing history in the same area in 1896, with the previous ground, the Idottsparken their home until they moved to the Tranesberg Stadium in 1910.
Who Plays There? The club was originally formed in 1891, taking their name from the island in the city centre where the founders used to meet. The club played in the lower leagues for a number of seasons before being allowed to compete in the national leagues. In 1904, the club reached the Swedish Cup final where they lost to Örgryte. The club did gain revenge over the team from Gothenburg eight years later in their next final appearance, thus becoming Swedish Champions for the first time.
The club won further championships in 1915, 1917 and 1920 but struggled to compete with the likes of Malmo and Gothenburg. In fact it took a further 35 years for the team to win the title again, in 1955 and then followed a golden period with four further cups in a period of 9 years. After relegation to the second division in 1981, the club floundered for twenty years and even summer loan signing Teddy Sheringham couldn’t keep them in the top division for more than a season at a time. Finally in 2001, the team managed to find the right on field formula and at last deliver some success for the supporters when they finished second in the Allsvenskan. The following year they went one better and were crowned champions, beating off the strong challenge of AIK and Gothenburg. They retained their crown in 2003 and won it in 2005 to underline their position as Sweden’s number one team.
The current team is built around young Swedish talent, with players such as Andreas Johansson and Daniel Sjölund who actually had spells with Liverpool and West Ham United and coached by Jonas Riedel. As at the end of November, the team were sitting in fourth place in the Allsvenskan, six points behind city rivals AIK.
In the 2005/06 Royal League, the team got to the semi-final’s before losing to Lillestrøm SK of Norway on aggregate, a considerably better performance than in 2005 when they managed just one point from their group games. They will look to this year’s competition, starting in November to try and break the monopoly FC Copenhagen have had on the cup.
European football still hasn’t been too kind to the cup. They first competed in the European Cup in 1955 when they actually reached the last eight before losing to Hibernians. In 1964 they met Manchester United in the first round of the UEFA Cup and lost 7-2 on aggregate. In fact after their win against Grasshoppers in the 2nd leg of their UEFA Cup game in 1965, the club had to wait ten years before they gained another victory, beating Kristiansand of Norway 7-1 in the 1975 UEFA Cup. In 2002 they recorded their best performance to date in the UEFA Cup, reaching the third round after beating Shamrock Rovers and FC Copenhagen before going out 3-1 to Girondins de Bordeaux.
Their Champions League debut in 2002 lasted one round as they went out on away goals to Partizan Belgrade, and the following season a 6-3 defeat to Juventus prevented them reaching the lucrative group stages. This season, the team couldn’t overcome Ruzomberok of Slovakia in the second qualifying round. More details of the club can be found at http://www.dif.se, where they have a full English language section.
How to get to the Stockholms Stadium The ground is located close to the red T-line stop at, surprisingly enough, Stadion. It takes around 10 minutes from the central station. Simply follow the signs on the platform, walking in the direction of travel. When you reach street level, you will see the stadium at the first set of traffic lights you reach.
For a more detailed overview of football in Stockholm go to Footiemap.com to access their excellent Swedish football map.
How to get a ticket for the Stockholms stadium The experiment of moving their matches to the much bigger Råsunda stadium only resulted in thousands of empty seats at each game. Swedish football, like most of the football in Scandinavia comes a second in terms of popularity to Ice Hockey, and attendances for almost all domestic matches fail to generate the passion and atmosphere that exists elsewhere in Europe. Therefore, prebooking of seats really isn’t required. Tickets can be booked from the ticket hotline on +46 77 1707070 or http://www.ticnet.se. The average attendance last year was just under 13,000 although as some of these games were held in the national stadium, the figures do not give a true reflection of the gates at the Stockholms stadium.
Around the Stockholms stadium The stadium is in a mainly residential area, surrounded by parkland. On match days you will find a few vendors selling food and drink, but it is best to stick to the city centre to quench your refreshment needs. The traditional supporters bars can be found close to the stadium in Karlavägen (Esplaned) and Sturegaten (Lagom).
AIK Solna - The Råsunda Stadium - Capacity: 37,000 All Seater
The Stadium – The Råsunda Stadium Solnavägen 51, Stockholm There are only two stadiums in the World that have hosted both a mens and womens FIFA World Cup Final. One is the massive 100,000 seater Rose Bowl in Pasedena, the other is the Räsunda, which held the finals in 1958 and 1995 respectively. The stadium also held matches during Euro 1992 when Denmark caused one of the biggest upsets in European football when they beat Germany 2-0. The record attendance at the stadium was in September 1965 when Sweden played West Germany. The original stadium opened in 1910 although the ground as we know it today didn’t really fully open until 1937. Previous to this, AIK played at the Stockholms (Olympic) stadium – now home to Djurgarden.
It is unusual for a large stadium in that the two biggest stands are actually behind the goals, where two tier stands dominate the ground. The two side stands are also very different – the west stand is a smallish two-tier affair, whilst the east or main stand is a single tier stand. None of the stands seem to match each other giving it a real piece-meal effect.
The stadium is one of a handful of 4 star approved UEFA stadiums in Europe, meaning that it can host major European finals. The Swedish FA has recently announced plans to build a new National stadium close by, which will see the demolishing of this stadium – although the current plan is for this not to happen until at least 2010.
Who Plays There? AIK Solna are one of the most successful sports club in Sweden. The club not only play football, but Ice Hockey, Tennis and Athletics. They were originally formed in 1891 although the Football club did not start playing until 1896. Success came relatively quickly as they won their first championship in 1900 – wrestling the title away from Gothenburg’s Örgryte club, and retained it twelve months later as the team from Gothenburg failed to take the field in the final. AIK regularly won the National Championship (1909, 1911, 1914, 1916 and 1923) before the first professional league was created in 1924. They continued their dominance of the domestic game by winning further championships during the 1920’s and 1930’s. The team also became the first Swedish team to tour abroad, although their first game against West Ham ended in a 6-1 defeat. In 1937 they moved to their own stadium – the Räsunda that is now also home to the national team. In 1947 one of the biggest games played in Sweden was a remarkable pre-season friendly with Charlton Athletic, where the final score was 7-7 after the Swedes had been 7-1 down at half time!
Two years later the club won its first Swedish Cup Final – beating Landskrona 1-0, and won it again the following year against Helsingsborgs. After a few years yo-yoing between the top divisions, the club eventually returned to the higher reaches of the Allsvenskan in the mid-sixties, and after a fourth place finish in 1966, enter the UEFA Cup for the first time.
Further honours followed in the 1980’s and 1990’s as the club collected Swedish Cup’s in 1985, 1996 and 1997 and finally a league championship in 1992. Their run into Europe reaches a peak with a Quarter Final defeat to Barcelona in the 1997 European Cup Winners Cup. In 1999 the team did something that has never been repeated in Swedish football – reaching the Champions League Group Stages where they were drawn with Barcelona, Arsenal and Fiorentina in one of the hardest groups ever. Whilst the team only gained 1 point they returned home with their heads held high from their brave performances in their games on the road.
The 2000’s have brought minor success for the club with defeats in the Cup final in 2000, 2001 and 2002. However, disaster struck in 2004 when the team were relegated for the first time in twenty years. A single season in the second division was enough for the club and they returned in style to the Allsvenskan in time for the 2006 season. They have certainly started impressively under coach Richard Norling, sitting top of the league as at the end of November. AIK will be hoping to continue their excellent league form, and compete in the Royal League when it is due to start in November for the first time in their history.
How to get to the Råsunda Stadium The national stadium is actually based in the town of Solna, although technically it is still in the city limits of Stockholm. The easiest way to get here is to take the Blue line T-trains from the central station to Solna Centrum. The stadium is visible as you exit the station.
For a more detailed overview of football in Stockholm go to Footiemap.com to access their excellent Swedish football map.
How to get a ticket to the Råsunda Stadium There have only been 3 sell outs domestic matches in Swedish football in the last 25 years, showing exactly how much the locals follow the domestic game. Despite there being a rivalry between AIK and Djurgarden, even the most local of matches takes place with hundreds of empty seats. Tickets range from 90SEK for normal domestic matches to 400SEK for the top end tickets to see the national team play.
Around the Råsunda Stadium The stadium is based on the main Frösundalen road, which runs from the city centre, and there are a number of small bars and cafes within a 5-minute walk of the station. The stadium is bordered on three sides by suburban housing developments. If you want to mix with the locals before the game then head to Dick Turpins in Solnavägen which is one of the oldest supporters bars in the city.
Hammarby IF - The Söderstadion - Capacity: 16,000 (10,000 Seats)
The Stadium – The Söderstadion Arenavägen, Stockholm-Globen The stadium has two almost identical covered stands that run the length of the pitch and offer protection from the elements. At the east end of the stadium there is a large open terrace, which is where you will find the hardcore fans. However, the most dominating feature of the stadium is the west stand. This stand is a small covered terrace but on top of this is a four-story structure, which includes offices, and residential apartments that overlook the pitch. The stadium was originally opened in 1966, and has recently been upgraded with the removal of a covered stand at the east end of the stadium, which was curved away from the pitch. The grey seats do give the ground a bland feel but Hammarby are one of the most passionate groups of fans in Sweden and so match days are very rarely as bland as the seats.
Who Plays There? Hammarby have always been considered the third club of Stockholm. In terms of supporter base, history, trophies and current form they lag behind their inter city rivals, but that does not stop the games against Djurgarden and AIK being passionate affairs (in some instances such as the derby versus Djurgarden resulted in significant numbers of arrests after violence spread on the terraces). The first football team fielded by the club can be traced back to 1897 but amazingly it took until 1977 for the team to actually reach a major final when they lost to Östers 1-0 in the Swedish Cup Final. In 1983 they lost the final again in 1983 to IFK Gothenburg.
Since then their highlight of their history was in 2001 when they won the Allsvenskan for the one and only time in their history. This championship allowed them to compete in the European Champions League qualifying for the first time.
However, as with their rivals Djurgardens, the Second Qualifying round proved to be tougher than then thought and a 5-1 victory to Partizan Belgrade proved a fair reflection on the standard of Swedish football. This season the team has started indifferently with a mixed bag of results under coach Anders Linderoth that saw them in 6th place as at the end of September. Last season the club qualified for the Royal League, reaching the Quarter Finals before losing 3-2 on aggregate to eventual winners FC Copenhagen.
How to get to the Söderstadion The Stadium is a 15minute train ride away on the green T-line from the central station. Exit the train at Globen and then turn right over the bridge and then left when you reach the t-junction in the pedestrian area.
For a more detailed overview of football in Stockholm go to Footiemap.com to access their excellent Swedish football map.
How to get a ticket to the Söderstadion In terms of capacity, Hammarby fairs better than most with an average utilisation of close to 75%. However, they still only average just over 12,000 and with a season high last year of 14,700 you will not struggle to get a ticket on the day from anyone of the ticket booths around the ground. However, after the crowd trouble at the recent Stockholm derby versus Djurgarden caused the match to be abandoned. Tickets can be bought in advanced from the club shop at the ground and at the Globus Shopping Centre, Tickets can be reserved by emailing the club at biljett@hammarbyfotboll.se, or from the Swedish equivalent of ticketmaster at http://www.ticnet.se. Tickets for all matches (except Malmo, Djurgarden and AIK) start from 60SEK for a place on the terrace, to 265SEK a nice covered seat. For the “A” list games the ticket prices start from 240SEK and rise to 500SEK.
Around the Söderstadion The stadium is sandwiched between the main south railway line, the main road of Arenavägen and the Globus shopping centre. Therefore there are a number of places to stop and have a drink in the area.
IF Brommapojkarna - Grimsta Idraetspark - Capacity 8,000 The small and homely Grimsta will play host to top league football for the 2nd time in their history. Ths stadium is very basic with a small stand sitting on one side of an athletics stadium.
Who Plays There? IF Brommapojkarna are about to embark on their 2nd ever season in the Allsvenskan after their one season in 2006. The club were formed in 1942 and spent all of thier previous seasons in the lower leagues. They are one of Manchester United's affiliate clubs which means that some of their young players are offered to Manhester United on a first come first serve basis such as Bojan Djordijc in 1999.
How to get to the Grimsta The club play in the west of Stockholm and is easily reached by T-bana line to Vallingby. From there buses run to the ground or you can walk - follow the road in the direction of travel, Kirunegetan and as you reach the roundabout go under the road and into the park - the ground will be visible in the distance.
How to get a ticket for the Grimsta Expect the games versus Djurgaarden, Solna and Hammarby to sell out but apart from these tickets will be available on the door.
Getting around Stockholm’s public transport is based on the metro and bus lines, combined with local boat services to the main islands. In contrast to eating out, transport is cheap. Single tickets are 40SEK, with a 24 hour card 60SEK. Most of the city centre is walk able.
Arlanda is the main airport for Stockholm and is served by both British Airways and SAS flying from London Heathrow. The airport is linked to the city centre by the Arlanda express train that runs from the terminal in less than 25 minutes every 15 minutes. The train costs 360SEK for a return ticket. A taxi would take around 45minutes and cost close to 500SEK.
Skavsta Airport is around 50 miles to the south west of Stockholm, close to the town of Nyopking. Ryanair are expanding Skavsta as another European hub – although the local residents of the surrounding villages are not particularly happy about this. Ryanair provide a bus to meet all incoming flights, which takes around 2 hours to reach the central bus station in Stockholm for 100SEK single or 150SEK return. They currently fly there from London Stansted.
Västerås sits on Lake Mälaren an hour west of Stockholm. The airport is around 10 miles out of town and is served by Ryanair from London Stansted. There are two ways to reach Stockholm from here. Firstly, catch a local bus to the main station and then hop on one of the regular trains to Stockholm. The journey takes around an hour and a half to get into Stockholm main station. The second option is to catch one of the buses that wait for all incoming flights, and take around 2 hours to reach Stockholm central bus station. Click re to buy the full guide to Stockholm.
The Stadium – The Stockholms Stadium
The Stadium – The Råsunda Stadium
The Stadium – The Söderstadion