AFAS Stadion

About

AFAS Stadion is a stadium in Alkmaar, Netherlands. It is used for football matches and is the home stadium of AZ Alkmaar. AZ's women's team also plays select matches in the stadium. The stadium is able to hold 19,478 people and bears the name of a Dutch software company. Due to UEFA's sponsorship regulations, the stadium is named AZ Stadion in European matches.

History: The stadium officially opened on 4 August 2006 with a friendly against Arsenal. AZ lost 3–0, with Gilberto Silva scoring the stadium's first ever goal. AZ won the first Eredivisie game in its new home, 8–1 over NAC Breda, with German midfielder Simon Cziommer scoring a hat-trick. AFAS Stadion replaced the club's former ground, Alkmaarderhout. The main stand is called Victorie Tribune, the stand with the fanatic supporters is called Van der Ben Tribune (Ben-Side), the stand behind the opposite goal is called the Alkmaarderhouttribune, in honour of the former stadium, and the stand opposite to the main stand is called Molenaar Tribune after the founders of AZ. Some supporters call the stadium Victorie Stadion, alluding to the victory over Spain in the Siege of Alkmaar in 1573 during the Eighty Years' War. To further...