Le rugby

The Stade de France in Saint-Denis, a town in the northern outskirts of Paris, was built to host the huge crowds expected for the 1998 Football World Cup. It is the largest stadium in France with a capacity of over 80 000 spectators and the largest modulable stadium in the world. Its spectacular design (an elliptical open roof hovering 46 metres above the field) is a masterpiece of engineering. It is used for sports events, concerts and popular events.

Notice the ring of commercial advertising circling the field, it points at the part played by commerce in professional sports. Rugby was until the 1990s a proudly amateur sport.

C'est au stade de France que se dérouleront plusieurs matchs de la Coupe du Monde 2007. La finale, en particulier, y aura lieu le 20 octobre 2007.