Euro 2016: A Guide to the Venues Across France

Years of preparations across France will come to fruition on Friday as the European Championship kicks off at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis.

The stadium hosts the opening and closing match of the tournament, with nine other venues across the country also readied for the month-long event.

Here, Newsweek takes a closer look at each venue that will feature at Euro 2016:

Stade de Bordeaux
Location: Bordeaux
Capacity: 42,000
Club tenants: FC Girondins de Bordeaux
Opened: 2015

The €184 million (£143 million/$209 million) Stade de Bordeaux replaced the Stade Chaban-Delmas, which hosted games for the World Cups in 1938 and 1998.

Did you know… Bordeaux's famed wine industry produces 720 million bottles every year by the 300,000 acres of vineyard. There are more than 9,000 wine producers in the city, and almost 90 percent of what they produce is red.

Matches: June 11 : Wales vs Slovakia, 5pm; June 14 : Austria vs Hungary, 5pm; June 18 : Belgium vs Republic of Ireland, 2pm; June 21 : Croatia vs Spain, 8pm; July 2: Quarter final, 8pm

Stade Bollaert-Delelis
Location: Lens
Capacity: 38,000
Club tenants: RC Lens
Opened: 2015 (originally opened in 1933 but reopened last year)

Built by unemployed miners, the stadium was originally built in an oval shape but gradually became rectangular when the first of four new stands were unveiled in 1976. It was used for the '98 World Cup, Euro 1984 and the 2007 Rugby World Cup. A rebuilding programme was implemented ahead of Euro 2016 and finished last year.

Did you know… The record attendance at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis came on February 15, 1992 when 48,912 fans squeezed into the stadium to watch Lens play Marseille. The population of the town is just 34,000.

Matches: June 11: Albania vs Switzerland, 2pm; June 16: England vs Wales, 2pm; June 21: Czech Republic vs Turkey, 8pm; June 25: Round of 16, 8pm

Stade Pierre-Mauroy
Location: Lille
Capacity: 50,000
Club tenants: LOSC Lille
Opened: 2012

Like other stadiums around the world today, the Stade Pierre-Mauroy has a retractable roof that can be opened or closed in 30 minutes. It also boasts the technology to be able to raise half the pitch above the other for entertainment performances.

Did you know… The LOSC Lille academy has produced stars in Premier League and European football. Chelsea's Eden Hazard, the 2015 PFA Player of the Year, Crystal Palace's Yohan Cabaye, and Arsenal's Mathieu Debuchy all came through the club in northern France.

Matches: June 12 : Germany vs Ukraine, 8pm; June 15: Russia vs Slovakia, 2pm; June 19: Switzerland vs France, 8pm; June 22: Italy vs Republic of Ireland, 8pm; June 26: Round of 16, 5pm; July 1: Quarter-finals, 8pm

Stade de Lyon
Location: Lyon
Capacity: 59,000
Club tenants: Olympique Lyonnais
Opened: 2016

The brand-new stadium, which consists of three tiers, was only finished in January this year. It forms part of a complex ranging 50 hectares, which includes a training ground for Lyon, plus hotels and office buildings.

Did you know… Berlin is the only city in Europe to contain more murals than Lyon. In the French city these are found throughout the city center, with the Etats-Unis district holding the most impressive. This is also the site of the Tony-Garnier Urban Museum, an open-air venue with more than 20 large murals.

Matches: June 13: Belgium vs Italy, 8pm; June 16: Ukraine vs Northern Ireland, 5pm; June 19: Romania vs Albania, 8pm; June 22: Hungary vs Portugal, 8pm; June 26: Round of 16, 2pm; July 6: Semi-final, 8pm

Stade Velodrome
Location: Marseille
Capacity: 67,000
Club tenants: Olympique de Marseille
Opened: 2014 (originally opened in 1937)

As the name suggests, the stadium originally contained a cycling track when it was first opened in 1937. It was finally removed in 1985, the stadium having also hosted athletics, rugby, boxing, tennis, hockey and motorsports.

Did you know… The France manager, Didier Deschamps, has both played and managed in the Stade Velodrome. First, he led Marseille to Champions League glory in 1993 before he managed the club from 2009 through 2012.

Matches: June 11 : England vs Russia, 8pm; June 15: France vs Albania, 8pm; June 18: Iceland vs Hungary, 5pm; June 21: Ukraine vs Poland, 5pm; June 30: Quarter-final, 8pm; July 7: Semi-final, 8pm

Stade de Nice
Location: Nice
Capacity: 35,000
Club tenants: OGC Nice
Opened: 2013

The sixth largest stadium in France was opened in 2013, with Nice's 4-0 win over Valenciennes the first match held there on September 22. A pyrotechnic display was presented prior to kick-off, with the arena set to host concerts, rugby matches and other events.

Did you know… The Stade de Nice is an eco-friendly stadium. It creates more than three times its own energy requirements from more than 4,000 solar panels, and with its own geothermal installation for heating. Rainwater is channelled from the stadium roof into four collection reservoirs and is then used to water the pitch.

Matches: June 12 : Poland vs Northern Ireland, 5pm; June 17: Spain vs Turkey, 8pm; June 22: Sweden vs Belgium, 8pm; June 27: Round of 16, 8pm

Parc des Princes
Location: Paris
Capacity: 48,000
Club tenants: Paris Saint-Germain
Opened: 1972

The current stadium is the third to have been built on the site in Paris. The first was opened in 1897, the second in 1932, before the current Parc des Princes was built 44 years ago. Renovation work was carried out in 2014 with new seats, benches and executive boxes and lounges.

Did you know… Paris Saint-Germain has only been in existence for 46 years, having been born out of a petition signed by 20,000 asking for a major football club to be established in the city. PSG, which has won the past four Ligue 1 titles, was founded on August 12, 1970.

Matches: June 12 : Turkey vs Croatia, 2pm; June 15: Romania vs Switzerland, 5pm; June 18: Portugal vs Austria, 8pm; June 21: Northern Ireland vs Germany, 5pm; June 25: Round of 16, 5pm

Stade Geoffroy-Guichard
Location: Saint-Etienne
Capacity: 42,000
Club tenants: AS Saint-Etienne
Opened: 1931

Ahead of the 1998 World Cup, moveable seating was built at the venue in order to uncover an athletics track, while the roof is designed in an oval shape to protect spectators from the elements.

Did you know… The stadium was built on old mine tunnels and is nicknamed Le Chaudron, which translates to 'the Cauldron', due to its reputation for a deafening atmosphere.

Matches: June 14 : Portugal vs Iceland, 8pm; June 17: Czech Republic vs Croatia, 5pm; June 20: Slovakia vs England, 8pm; June 25: Round of 16, 2pm

Stadium de Toulouse
Location: Toulouse
Capacity: 33,000
Club tenants: Toulouse FC
Opened: 2016 (originally opened in 1937)

Having originally opened in 1937, the stadium has undergone a series of improvements over its 79-year existence. These have included renovations in 1949 and 1997 ahead of the World Cup, as well as extensive repairs following damage caused by a nearby chemical plant explosion. The stadium has been upgraded ahead of this year's tournament.

Did you know… When the Stadium de Toulouse was originally built in 1937 for the World Cup the following year, it was labelled 'mini Wembley' due to its similarity with the London stadium that was knocked down in 2002.

Matches: June 13 : Spain vs Czech Republic, 2pm; June 17: Italy vs Sweden, 2pm; June 20: Russia vs Wales, 8pm; June 26: Round of 16, 8pm

Stade de France
Location: Saint-Denis
Capacity: 80,000
Club tenants: France national team
Opened: 1998

Built ahead of the 1998 World Cup, seating at the venue is moveable in order to uncover an athletics track, while the roof is designed in an oval shape to protect spectators from the elements.

Did you know… The Stade de France has hosted World Cup finals in both football (1998) and rugby (2007), while also being the venue for two Champions League finals and three U2 concerts.

Matches: June 10 : France vs Romania, 8pm; June 13: Republic of Ireland vs Sweden, 5pm; June 16: Germany vs Poland, 8pm; June 22: Iceland vs Austria, 5pm; June 27: Round of 16, 5pm; July 3: Quarter-finals, 8pm; July 10: Final, 8pm