- Address: Stadionweg 1, Alkmaar
- Country: Netherlands
- Capacity: 19,000
- Opened: 4 August 2006
- Main use: Football
- Tenants: AZ (football)
Extra stadium info – AFAS Stadion
The construction costs of the stadium, which became one of the largest sports venues by capacity in the Netherlands, were €38 million. Part of the roof of the AFAS Stadion collapsed in 2019. No people were harmed because of the collapse. The stadium opened with a football match between AZ (Alkmaar Zaanstreek) and the world famous English side Arsenal Football Club. The visitors won the game. Gilberto Silva from Brazil, Emmanuel Adebayor from Togo and Robin van Persie from the Netherlands all scored for Arsenal in the first match at the stadium.
The results of AZ
AZ won the Dutch cup tournament in 1978 for the first time in their history after defeating Ajax. The club from Alkmaar won the Dutch cup several times. Alkmaar Zaanstreek were crowned Dutch football champions in 1981 for the first time in their history. The same year, AZ reached the two-legged final of the UEFA Cup after beating Football Club Sochaux-Montbéliard from the French Republic. AZ faced the English side Ipswhich Town Football Club in the final. Ipswhich Town reached the final after defeating the German side 1. FC Köln.
AZ in the AFAS Stadion era
AZ drew an average attendance of 15,000 in 17 home games in their first-ever Dutch top-flight league season at the AFAS Stadion. That league season ended in a disappointment for AZ. When entering the last matchday of that league season, AZ led Ajax and PSV on goal difference at the top of the league table. AZ ended up third after losing their last match against Excelsior, who were relegated that year. That football season, PSV from Eindhoven won the Dutch league title. AZ won their second top-division title in 2009. The same year, they finished below Arsenal, Olympiacos and Standard de Liège in the group stage of the prestigious UEFA Champions League.
