赛事详情

Conceptualised by Rossetti Architects who’s reputation amongst U.S sport fans is growing after designing four purpose-built soccer stadiums including Red Bull Arena, Toyota Park and Rio Tinto Stadium, Philadelphia Union’s PPL Park is the latest state-of-the art ground to emerge from Major League Soccer. Costing at the time, an estimated $120 million dollars, the new sports arena was the result of investment from both public and private enterprise. Delaware County contributed $30 million into the project, and the stadium’s sponsors and namesake, PPL EnergyPlus, investing the rest of the remaining funds. Initially planned to open in time for the start of the 2010 MLS season, the Eagles were forced to postpone their original plans after suffering delays in construction. Although not the end of the world as they rented Lincoln Financial Field, it would have been a great bit of history to coincide the club’s first league fixture with the unveiling of the new stadium. The inaugural fixture came on the 27th June 2010 a few months later than projected, although Philadelphia Union made up for it by christening their new ground in style with a 3-1 defeat of Seattle Sounders. The highest profile match to be played at PPL Park to was against Chelsea F.C in the 2012 MLS All-Star Game which attracted an attendance of 19,236. Following on from consistently high crowds since opening, there has been much speculation that The Eagles could expand the stadium as interest in Soccer blossoms. Plans suggest that this could occur in three stages resulting in a capacity of 30,000 which would make PPL Park the largest soccer ground in the country, ahead of L.A Galaxy’s StubHub Stadium.

DRIVING The address for satnav is as follows: 1 Stadium Drive, Chester, PA 19013, United States. Car Parks Parking is available on a first-come, first-serve basis with attendants scattered around to direct drivers to unoccupied spaces. On-site parking costs $20.00 whereas off-site parking located at Edwards Lot D is slightly cheaper at around $15.00. You can stay for up to five hours on site and for four hours off-site, with charcoal barbecues prohibited although sensible tailgating is allowed. PUBLIC TRANSPORT On matchdays a free shuttle service runs for up to four hours before kick-off as part of a combined train ticket. You can take the SEPTA R2 regional rail line to Chester Transportation Centre and outside on 6th and Welch Street there are departing buses which can take you to PPL park.