History and description

Designed by the Dutch architect Frits van Paasschen, it hosted its first international match on 9 September 1939 when the Netherlands played against Belgium. The Goffertstadion opened 8 July 1939 and at that time was the third largest stadium in the Netherlands. Designed by the Dutch architect Frits van Paasschen, it first hosted an international match on 9 September 1939 when the Netherlands played against Belgium. The stadium was built during the crisis years by thousands of unemployed people. As the stadium was built in a den that the workers had to dig out without machinery, it quickly earned itself the nickname bloedkuul ("den of blood?").

The Goffertstadion was a project of the city of Nijmegen, but when it was completed both local clubs Quick and NEC refused to play there as they already had their own stadiums and did not want to pay any rent for the Gofferstadion.

It took until 1942 for the first match to be played at the Goffert, the local derby, and only after NEC's home ground got damaged in the last year of the Second World War did the club permanently move to the Goffert.

NEC was never really content with their new home. The stadium had the repute of being cold and lacking soul, and the cycling tracks created a large distance between fans and players. This was especially true in less successful years when the club found it hard to fill the 30,000-stadium, and often not even attracted 5000 fans.

By the 1990s, it was becoming increasingly clear that a new or redeveloped stadium was necessary for the survival of the club, but initial plans were never realised.

The safety measures had already reduced the capacity to about 10,000 places, and the upcoming seats-only requirement would have resulted in a capacity of just 5,000 seats.

On January 25, 2000, the new stadium opened with a friendly between NEC and Belgian side Anderlecht.

Recent years have seen NEC contemplate expanding its stadium by adding a second tier, but lack of funding has thus far prevented the completion of these plans.

(photos of the present Goffertstadion below)

How to get to the Goffertstadion

The Goffertstadion is located in the south of Nijmegen at about 3 km from the city centre and central railway station. It lies in the middle of a large park, the Goffertpark.  

You can also take the bus, which takes about 45 minutes. Alternatively, you can take the shuttle bus that runs every 10 minutes.

Alternatively, take either bus 4 or 8 from the central railway station. Take bus 4 in the direction of Wijchen and get off at stop Krekelstraat. From there, it is a 10-minute walk to the stadium. Take bus 8 to Hatert and get off at stop Heideparkseweg. From there, it is also a 10-minute walk to the stadium.

Address: Stadionplein 1, 6532 AJ Nijmegen

Eat, drink, and sleep near the Goffertstadion

The Goffertstadion is in the middle of Goffertpark, which is a large park. The surroundings are mainly residential and eating and drinking can therefore better be done in Nijmegen's very nice city centre. The expensive Scandic Sanadome Hotel is the only hotel near the Goffertstadion, and is mainly aimed at visitors who come for their spa and health center. It is therefore probably best to find yourself a hotel in Nijmegen's city center?

NEC Tickets

Tickets for NEC games can be bought online, at the club office at the stadium, or by mail. If tickets remain available, the opportunity to buy tickets on the day of the match will exist. NEC occasionally sells out, but for most games tickets will be easily available if bought in advance and also on the day.

The Nec Club Card is a necessity to purchase tickets, either in advance or on the day of the match. Make sure to check the website beforehand to see if you need a club card to purchase tickets.

The ticket prices for soccer games typically range from nineteen fifty for a seat behind the goal to twenty-seven fifty for a central seat at one of the sides. These prices are increased for a few high-profile matches.

Relevant Internet links

The NEC Nijmegen website and the Vvvarnhemnijmegen website are official websites for the Arnhem-Nijmegen region. The tourist information website, 9292ov.nl, provides public transport journey planning.