Maslice Stadium Wroclaw Poland

2012 European Championships Stadiums: Maslice Stadium (Stadion Miejski Wroclaw)

The brand new €190 million development in Wroclaw on the banks of the Sleza River is being billed as the most technological and innovative design of the eight stadia to be used across Poland and Ukraine during Euro 2012.

Maslice Stadium Wroclaw under construction. — The stadium under construction in April 2011

Design

Also known as the City Stadium or Municipal Stadium (Stadion Miejski Wrocław), the final stadium resembles a Chinese lantern because of the aesthetic design of the outer walls.

But the exterior not only looks pretty. The outer membrane, made by a company from Hungary, also features bespoke lighting technology built into the walls with the ability to change colour, meaning it will be possible (Uefa officials permitting) for the colours of the participants' flags to be displayed on match days.

Also including a shopping center, fitness centre and a casino, the 42,000-capacity stadium will host two or three group matches at Euro 2012 before becoming to home to local Polish league side Slask Wroclaw (WKS) and hosting concerts and other entertainments.

It is on target to be completed around 6 months before the tournament begins in June 2012.

Maslice Stadium Access

The Maslice Stadium is well-connected to the city centre where most supporters will be based. The ground houses an integrated tram stop (a new tram line is in the process of being constructed) and a train station on its southern side, while from the northern end city trams and buses will also be in constant use. The city is also working on roads to the airport and local hotels. If coming by bus from the city center get on the #103 bus at Plac Jana Pawla II. Buy a ticket from the ticket machine (instructions in French, German, English & Spanish) to Maslice Male and validate your ticket in another machine on the bus. Journey time is normally 22 minutes.

Wroclaw Airport has been granted a new terminal in anticipation of the crowds for the Euros in 2012. Flights from there go to Warsaw and Gdansk as well as multiple destinations in Italy, Germany, Spain and the UK. Express trains to Warsaw (350 km away) take just five hours and there are also regular connections to Poznan and Gdansk. Krakow (Cracow) is 5 hours by rather slow train from Wroclaw via Katowice.