History and description

The Antwerp football club decided to build a new stadium in the Antwerp suburb of Deurne in the early 20th century. By the 1920s, this stadium regularly proved too small to house its increasing number of fans and so the club decided to move its matches there from the Broodstraat. On the 1st of November 1923, the Bosuilstadion officially opened with an international between Belgium and England. Initially, its capacity was 38,000 people. However, in 1937, this was increased to a maximum of 60,000 people.

The Bosuilstadion was the stadium where Belgium and Holland regularly clashed in their early years. It earned itself the nickname "Hell of Deurne?" due to the frequent matches. However, by 1977 the Belgian FA had moved Belgium's international fixtures to the Heysel Stadium.

In the 1980s, the Bosuilstadion quickly deteriorated, and soon had to be closed due to its decaying state. A new stand with 800 business seats was built in 1991, but the stadium had to be closed at the start of the 1997/98 season because it still wasn't up to par.

In the meantime, Antwerp had missed out on being chosen as a host city for the Euro 2000 tournament. The delays in the design and financing of a new stadium, that was supposed to replace the Bosuilstadion, finally led to the cancellation of all plans.

Ultimately, only one new stadium was constructed following the design proposed for it, though with a reduced capacity than originally planned.

There is currently no consensus on what the future of the Bosuilstadion should be, with proposals to rebuild two new stands or share a new stadium with Beerschot AC both being considered. The city of Antwerp seems most favourably inclined to sharing a stadium, as it would enable more fan and player interaction.

(photos of the present Bosuilstadion below)

Getting there

The Bosuilstadion is located in the Deurne suburb, approximately 6 kilometers east of the old city center of Antwerp. Head north on the Krijgsbaan and take the next left onto the Houtlaan. After a short while, turn onto the N120 Merksemsebaan and follow it until you reach the crossing with the Oude Bosuilbaan or Jan Welterslaan. Turn left here, and continue following this road until you reach the stadium.

If arriving by public transport, one can reach the stadium by tram 5. Take the tram at Antwerp Central Station toward Wim Saerensplein and get off at Deurne Antwerp Stadion.

Address: Oude Bosuilbaan 54a, 2100 Deurne - Antwerpen

Tickets

Tickets for Antwerp games can be bought at the Bosuilstadion Clubshop or at the gates of the stadium on the day of the match. Tickets for seats cost either ?20.00, ?23.00, or ?50.00. A ticket for one of the standing areas also costs ?20.00. Tickets are cheaper if bought in pre-sale.

Relevant Internet links

RAFC.be is the official website of Royal Antwerp FC. Antwerpen.be provides information about Antwerp as a tourist destination, including public transport and journey planning.