Stadio Flaminio – Italy

The Stadio Flaminio, situated in Rome’s historic Via Flaminia, hosts the majority of Italy’s home Six Nations matches. With a capacity of 30,000, the Stadio Flaminio is the smallest of the stadiums utilised during the Six Nations Championship.

Stadio Flaminio Stats

Built: 1927
Capacity: 30,000
Home side: Italy

Stadio Flaminio Overview

The Stadio Flaminio has hosted Italy’s Six Nations home games since the side joined the tournament in 2000. The venue was chosen in preference to Rome’s enormous Olympic Stadium, as that venue has struggled to sell out even high profile club football matches. The Stadio Flaminio, however, gave organisers the opportunity to sell out their games, and thereby generate more of an atmosphere.

The permanent tenant of the Stadio Flaminio is the Italian Serie C football club A.S. Cisco Roma, who shares the stadium with Super 10 rugby union club Capitolina. The Stadio Flaminio boasts extensive indoor sports facilities, including a swimming pool and gymnasium. Mobile stands are used to increase the capacity of the stadium by 6,000 for Six Nations matches.

Stadio Flaminio History

The National Fascist Party opened the Stadio Flaminio in 1927 on the site of a sports ground used since 1911. The biggest event held in this structure was the final of the 1934 FIFA Football World Cup.

Following the war the old stadium was destroyed and a new stadium erected in preparation for the 1960 Summer Olympics.

The growth in popularity of rugby football in Italy over recent years has stretched the capacity of the Stadio Flaminio to its limits. With thousands of Italian rugby fans having no access to their national team’s home games, the Italian Rugby Federation has indicated that it plans to move to a larger stadium in the near future – with the rugby heartland of Genoa its preferred destination.

The Stadio Flaminio Experience

Despite being the smallest of the Six Nations venues, the Stadio Flaminio is a favourite amongst British spectators who travel to watch their Six Nations teams in action. The facility is located within Rome’s historic Olympic village, and offers a more intimate atmosphere than the bigger stadiums. The Italian crowds are good natured and enthusiastic supporters of their team, and post-match parties in the Irish pubs surrounding the stadium go on well into the night.

[[Italy Six Nations]]