About stadium

Stadium introduction

Windsor Park first opened back in 1905 with an inaugural fixture between resident side Linfield and Glentoran. Sparse in design, it wouldn’t be until the 1930s that Archibald Leitch lent a hand to the design of the stadium resulting in the current configuration of the stands. The main grandstand which ran to the south of the pitch consisted of seating at the top, and standing spaces known as the paddock below. It was flanked by a terraced goal-end known as the Spion Kop to the left, another terrace area to the right known as the railway end, and a covered standing area opposite to the north. Northern Ireland’s national stadium peaked in the 1960s with a capacity of 60,000, however subsequent renovation work which replaced terrace stands with seating saw the capacity be reduced to around 20,000. The most recent stand to be rebuilt was the Western Kop Stand which was turned into a 5,000 all-seater section in the late 1990s. This followed the replacement of the northern stand which was replaced a decade earlier in 1980s resulting in a two-tiered 7,000 capacity grandstand. After exploring the possibility of relocation, the Irish Football Association confirmed in September 2009 that Windsor Park would undergo refurbishment to the tune of £31 million. Work began in May 2014 and is set to be completed in November 2015.

How to get to the Stadium

Donegall Ave, Belfast, BT12 6LW