Cristal Arena
Encyclopedia
The Cristal Arena is a multi-purpose stadium
in Genk
, Belgium
. It is currently used mostly for football
matches and is the home ground of Racing Genk
. The stadium holds 25,000 (of which 4,200 are standing places) and was built in 1999. Heusden-Zolder
used to play at this stadium for their single season at the top level
in 2003-04
. Following the relegation of the club, it moved to Mijnstadion
in Beringen
. The average home attendance varies from 20 000 to 22 000 supporters who visit the stadium every fortnight.
Before the start of the 2007-2008 season, the stadium was known as "het Fenixstadion". However, early 2007 Racing Genk signed an agreement with the Alken-Maes
brewery to lease the name of the stadium for a 5 year period.
Belgium played two games here in 2009, a Friendly against Slovenia
and a 2010 FIFA World Cup
qualifier against Bosnia-Herzegovina which they lost 2-4.
Multi-purpose stadium
Multi-purpose stadiums are a type of stadium designed in such a way as to be easily used by multiple sports. While any stadium could potentially host more than one sport, this concept usually refers to a specific design philosophy that stresses multi-functionality over specificity...
in Genk
Genk
Genk is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg near Hasselt. The municipality only comprises the city of Genk itself...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. It is currently used mostly for football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
matches and is the home ground of Racing Genk
K.R.C. Genk
Koninklijke Racing Club Genk , usually referred to as Racing Genk or simply Genk, is a Belgian professional football club based in the city of Genk in Belgian Limburg. Racing Genk plays in the Belgian Pro League and they have won 3 Belgian champion titles in 1998–99, in 2001–02 and in 2010–11 as...
. The stadium holds 25,000 (of which 4,200 are standing places) and was built in 1999. Heusden-Zolder
K. Beringen-Heusden-Zolder
K. Beringen-Heusden-Zolder is a former Belgian football club, from the municipalities of Heusden-Zolder and Beringen in Limburg. Its stadium has been located in the municipality of Beringen-Mijn from 2004 to 2006 .-History:It was founded in 1936 as S.K. Heusden and it eventually changed its name...
used to play at this stadium for their single season at the top level
Jupiler League
The Belgian Pro League is the top league competition for association football clubs in Belgium. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Belgian Second Division...
in 2003-04
Jupiler League 2003-04
The 2003/04 season of the Belgian First Division was held between August 8, 2003 and May 15, 2004. Sporting Anderlecht became champions on April 24, 2004.-Promoted teams:These teams were promoted from the second division at the start of the season:...
. Following the relegation of the club, it moved to Mijnstadion
Mijnstadion
Mijnstadion is a multi-use stadium in Beringen, Belgium. It has been used mostly for football matches as the home ground of K. Beringen-Heusden-Zolder, until the club reached the first division in 2003-04. At this time the club moved to the Fenix Stadion of rival club K.R.C. Genk...
in Beringen
Beringen
Beringen is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. The Beringen municipality includes the town of Beringen proper and the old communes of Beverlo, Koersel, and Paal.-Origins:...
. The average home attendance varies from 20 000 to 22 000 supporters who visit the stadium every fortnight.
Before the start of the 2007-2008 season, the stadium was known as "het Fenixstadion". However, early 2007 Racing Genk signed an agreement with the Alken-Maes
Alken-Maes
Alken-Maes is a Belgian brewery created out of the 1988 merger of two small breweries, Maes, located in Waarloos and Alken. It was bought by Scottish & Newcastle in 2000, who were taken over by Carlsberg and Heineken in 2007.- History :...
brewery to lease the name of the stadium for a 5 year period.
Belgium played two games here in 2009, a Friendly against Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
and a 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
qualifier against Bosnia-Herzegovina which they lost 2-4.