Information on the 10 stadiums which will host Euro 2016 in France starting Friday.
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STADE DE FRANCE (PARIS)
Capacity: 80,000
Fixtures: Opening match between hosts France and Romania and three other group stage games, a round of 16 match, a quarter-final and the July 10 final
Built for the 1998 World Cup won by France, the Stade de France serves as the national stadium and is the country’s biggest. The ground was targeted by three suicide bombers in a wave of coordinated attacks across Paris on November 13. The assailants failed to get inside the stadium, but one person was killed after they blew themselves up outside the venue.
STADE VELODROME (MARSEILLE)
Capacity: 67,000
Fixtures: Four group stage matches, a quarter-final and a semi-final
Opened in 1937 with a cycling track, the Velodrome was renovated, expanded and reopened in 2014 as the second largest stadium in France. Renovation works, with the addition of a roof shielding fans and players from the elements, cost €268 million (Dh1.12 billion), but Marseille’s struggles this season often resulted in sparse crowds.
STADE DE LYON (LYON)
Capacity 67,000
Fixtures: Four group stage matches, a round of 16 match and a semi-final
Referred to as the gastronomic capital of the world, Lyon also has a state-of-the-art football facility after the new stadium replaced the outdated Stade de Gerland in January. A long-term project of Lyon president Jean-Michel Auluas, the pitch of the seven-time French champions has been laid with hybrid grass to help protect against wear and tear.
STADE PIERRE-MAUROY (LILLE)
Capacity: 50,000
Fixtures: Four group stage matches, a round of 16 match and a quarter-final
Situated on the outskirts of Lille and fitted with a retractable roof, the ground was opened in August 2012. The stadium also hosted the 2014 Davis Cup final between France and Switzerland while staging concerts performed by the likes of pop star Rihanna.
PARC DES PRINCES (PARIS)
Capacity: 45,000
Fixtures: Four group stage matches and a round of 16 match
Home to French heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain, the stadium is the third to be built on the site since 1897. The current structure, opened in 1972, has had minor improvements made ahead of Euro 2016, with former Aston Villa chief groundsman Jonathan Calderwood helping transform the playing surface into one of Europe’s finest.
STADE DE BORDEAUX (BORDEAUX)
Capacity: 42,000
Fixtures: Four group stage matches and a quarter-final
Bordeaux has more listed buildings than any other French city outside Paris. In May 2015, the brand new Stade de Bordeaux opened after 26 months of construction and took the place of Les Girondins’ former home, the Stade Chaban-Delmas.
STADE GEOFFROY-GUICHARD (SAINT-ETIENNE)
Capacity: 42,000
Fixtures: Three group stage matches and a round of 16 match
Nicknamed Le Chaudron (the cauldron) for its reputation for atmosphere, the stadium was first opened in 1931. Famed for its “English style” design with four separate stands, it has been regarded as one of France’s main stadiums ever since the great Saint-Etienne teams of the 1970s.
STADE FELIX-BOLLAERT-DELELIS (LENS)
Capacity: 35,000
Fixtures: Three group stage matches and a round of 16 match
The only one of 10 venues not home to a first division side, the stadium underwent an 18-month facelift between 2013 and 2015 but plans to increase the capacity to 44,000 were scaled back due to financial problems.
STADE DE NICE (NICE)
Capacity: 35,000
Fixtures: Three group stage matches and a round of 16 match
Nice’s eco-friendly arena opened in September 2013. Rain water collected from the stadium roof is used to water the pitch, with the venue drawing its energy supply from thousands of solar panels. It also houses the Musee National du Sport following its relocation from Paris.
STADIUM MUNICIPAL (TOULOUSE)
Capacity: 33,000
Fixtures: Three group stage matches and a round of 16 match.
Named ‘La Ville Rose’ (the Pink City) on account of the terracotta bricks used in many of its buildings, Toulouse’s municipal stadium — located on an island in the heart of the city — was also refurbished ahead of the football extravaganza. In 2001, the stadium underwent repairs after a deadly explosion at a nearby chemical plant.
Fixtures
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Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
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Ep1: A recovery like no other- the unevenness of the economic recovery
Ep2: PCR and jobs - the future of work - new trends and challenges
Ep3: The recovery and global trade disruptions - globalisation post-pandemic
Ep4: Inflation- services and goods - debt risks
Ep5: Travel and tourism
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
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BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday Hertha Berlin v Union Berlin (11.30pm)
Saturday Freiburg v Borussia Monchengladbach, Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Dortmund, Cologne v Wolfsburg, Arminia Bielefeld v Mainz (6.30pm) Bayern Munich v RB Leipzig (9.30pm)
Sunday Werder Bremen v Stuttgart (6.30pm), Schalke v Bayer Leverkusen (9pm)
Monday Hoffenheim v Augsburg (11.30pm)
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Rating: 1/5
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Director: Simon Curtis
Cast: Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter and Phyllis Logan
Rating: 4/5
Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule
- 1st Test India won by 304 runs at Galle
- 2nd Test India won by innings and 53 runs at Colombo
- 3rd Test August 12-16 at Pallekele
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
MATCH INFO
Jersey 147 (20 overs)
UAE 112 (19.2 overs)
Jersey win by 35 runs
