Stadion Feijenoord (Rotterdam)

Stadion Feijenoord, more commonly known by its nickname De Kuip, is a stadium in Rotterdam, Netherlands, that was completed in 1937. The name is derived from the Feijenoord district in Rotterdam, and from the club with the same name (although the club’s name was internationalized to Feyenoord in 1973).

General information

Official website: https://www.dekuip.nl/

Arena capacity: 51,117 spectators

Address: Van Zandvlietplein 1, 3077 AA Rotterdam, Netherlands

GPS coordinates for the navigator: 51.8939° N, 4.5231° E

Year of construction: 1935-1937

Construction cost: €141 million

Field: grass lawn with dimensions of 105 x 68 (7140)

Seating plan of Stadion Feijenoord

De Kuip is designed in a bowl style, similar to other big European grounds. There are essentially three tiers that run around the structure, with Maastribune the stand where the executive lodges and VIP seating are located.

When choosing a place in the stadium, use the Stadion Feijenoord scheme above.

Where to buy tickets?

Tickets for Feyenoord matches can be bought online, or at the Service & Tickets booths at De Kuip. If tickets remain available, these can also be bought on the gate from 3.5 hours before kick-off, however Feyenoord tends to sell out most league games so booking in advance is strongly recommended.

Feyenoord require possession of a Feyenoord Club Card to be able to buy tickets for a certain number of matches that have a high risk for fan violence, typically about 7 per season.

Where you want to sit and how old you are will dictate how much you have to pay for your tickets at De Kuip. If you’re an adult, for example, then you’re likely to pay between €23.50 and €63.50, whilst anyone over 65 will pay €23. Younger people will pay around €21.

How to get Feyenoord tickets

Feyenoord’s official website is the best place to go if you want to book tickets to see them play. That said, plenty of Dutch people are fluent in English so you can try to call the ticket office directly if you’d prefer.

How to get there?

De Kuip is located on the south bank of the river Meuse, just a few hundred metres away from the river, but about 4.5 kilometres from Rotterdam’s city centre and more than 5.5 kilometres from the central rail station.

Train

It takes just under four hours to get from London to Rotterdam by train, heading via Brussels, Antwerp or Thalys. You’ll arrive at Rotterdam Centraal from where you can get a train to Rotterdam Stadion, which is right next the stadium.

You can also take a train to rail station Lombardijen, also on the south bank, and continue with tram 2 in the direction of Charlois. After a 6-minute journey get off at either station Beukendaal or Breeplein. The stadium is a further 10-minute walk away. Both trams run at least once every 10 minutes.

If using public transport, take tram 23 from Rotterdam’s central rail station. After a 20-minute journey get off at stop Stadion Feijenoord. On matchdays one can also take tram 29.

Bus

If you’d rather get their via bus then the B16 is the main one that stops outside the ground. Alternatively you can get a tram and numbers 12 and 23 both stop with walking distance.

Car

If coming by car, the stadium is best reached from the A16 motorway. Take exit 24 Feijenoord (if coming from the north the first after the Van Brienenoord bridge). Follow the Stadionweg west until reaching the stadium.

Taxi

Getting a taxi from Rotterdam Centraal out to the stadium will cost you about €15 and take around twenty minutes.

Parking near De Kuip

There are a number of car parks located around the ground, though priority for parking at these is given over to season ticket holders and VIP guests. Still, you’ll likely be able to nab a space if you’re getting there early enough.

De Kuip Hotels

There are no hotels located in the immediate vicinity of De Kuip. The closest hotels are in the Kop of Zuid area on the renovated and edgy south bank, from where one can walk to the stadium in about half an hour. Otherwise, there is a good few options in Rotterdam’s centre.

Novotel Rotterdam Brainpark — £60+

K.P. Van Der Mandelelaan 150, Rotterdam, 3062 MB

Novotel is a well-known chain, so you shouldn’t be overly surprised by the facilities you find there. There’s a restaurant and bar, a fitness suite and a business centre. There’s also an arcade and games room that’s ideal if you’ve got kids, plus a terraced area that’s idea if the weather’s good. There is both free Wi-Fi and free parking, too, so if you’re driving or hoping to do some work there then you’re in luck.

Art Hotel Rotterdam — £80+

Mijnsherenlaan 9, Rotterdam, 3081 GA

The Art Hotel is located about a mile from the stadium and has over two hundred rooms. Despite its size, it feels more boutique and interesting than the Novotel. You’ll still get the sort of facilities you’d expect, though, with a restaurant, bar and conference space. There’s self-parking available as well as free Wi-Fi and newspapers in the reception area.

nhow Rotterdam Hotel — £100+

Wilhelminakade 137, Rotterdam, 3072

The nhow is one of the nicest hotels in Rotterdam, so you’ll get plenty of pleasantries here. It’s about a mile and a half from De Kuip, which is a pleasant walk for those of you that would like to do just that. There are just under three-hundred guest bedrooms, a restaurant, a bar and a rooftop terrace for when the weather’s nice. There’s self-parking if you’re driving and free Wi-Fi as well as a conference space for anyone there on business.

Pubs & Bars Near De Kuip

The area on the banks of the river Meuse has been redeveloped though, and boast a cinema, some eating options, and the odd bar. Still, eating and drinking can best be done in Rotterdam’s city centre, from where it is a short public transport ride to the stadium. The area around Stadhuisplein is a good start for drinking, though Rotterdam nightlife is rather dispersed over the central areas.

De Witte Aap

Witte de Withstraat 78, 3012 BS, Rotterdam

De Witte Aap was once voted the best bar in the world by Lonely Planet, so it’s fair to say that this is one of the places you should definitely try to get to whilst you’re in Rotterdam. It’s a lively place but it’s small, so it tends to get busy really quickly. There’s no food on offer nor is there sport to watch, but there is often live music and a decent selections of beers and ales that you’ll want to sample.

Bar Restaurant Level

Pannekoekstraat 76, 3011 LK, Rotterdam

Predominantly a cocktail bar before anything else, Level is somewhere to go to if you want something other than just lager or beer to drink. You can get a bite to eat as the evening draws in and the likes of chicken kebab and pork ribs are high on the menu. Again, you’re not going to be able to watch any sport here but there’s often live music and DJ sets well into the early hours of the morning.

Panenka

Eendrachtsweg 25, 3012 LB, Rotterdam

The other two places on our list might not show any sport but Panenka definitely does. Obviously Feyenoord matches are high on the agenda here, but the likes of Champions League, World Cup and big Premier League games will likely be shown. Delicious food can be purchased throughout the day and you’ll also be able to to get all of the usual drinks that you’d expect to find in a sports bar or pub.

Hospitality

As mentioned before, there are large corporate areas of De Kuip in the Maastribune. The Director Seats are the most sought after in the ground, including decent catering and excellent views. There are also business units, business seats and comfortable seats available, so you’ll definitely find somewhere to stay depending on your budget.

Private hire

Whether you’re looking to host business events, parties or meetings, De Kuip has the facilities to help you do just that. The club are willing to accommodate pretty much anything if possible, so if you’re looking for a venue in Rotterdam then it’s worth contacting them to see what they can do.

History

Leen van Zandvliet, Feyenoord’s president in the 1930s, came up with the idea of building an entirely new stadium, unlike any other on the continent, with two free hanging tiers and no obstacles blocking the view. Contemporary examples were Highbury, where the West and East stands had been recently built as a double deck, and Yankee Stadium in New York. Johannes Brinkman and Leendert van der Vlugt, the famous designers of the van Nelle factories in Rotterdam were asked to design a stadium out of glass, concrete and steel, cheap materials at that time.

In fact, De Kuip acted as an example for many of the greatest stadia we know today, e.g. Camp Nou. The stadium was co-financed by the billionaire Daniël George van Beuningen, who made his fortune in World War I, exporting coal from Germany to Britain through neutral Netherlands.

In World War II, the stadium was nearly torn down for scrap by German occupiers. After the war, the stadium’s capacity was expanded in 1949; stadium lights were added in 1958. On 29 October 1991, De Kuip was named as being one of Rotterdam’s monuments. In 1994 the stadium was extensively renovated to its present form: it became all-seater, and the roof was extended to cover all the seats. An extra building was constructed for commercial use by Feyenoord, it also houses a restaurant and a museum, The Home of History.

As of January 2007, the stadium can be found in 3D format on Google Earth, and partially on Google Maps, via street view.