Constant Vanden Stock: R.S.C. Anderlecht

Avenue Théo Verbeeck 2, 1070, Anderlecht, Belgium
By David Edgar (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons

When you consider Constant Vanden Stock Stadium to have opened really depends on how strict you are with such things. Anderlecht built themselves a new stadium back in 1917 and in those days it had just one wooden stand. It was named after a wealthy patron named Émile Versé and concrete stands were built as the years went by.

The reason there’s some confusion over whether the stadium that stands today has any real ties to the original one is that it was entirely knocked down and rebuilt in 1983. The club’s chairman of the day was Constant Vanden Stock and the newly built ground was named after him. Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht have called it their home ever since Émile Versé Stadium opened in 1917.

It has been known as Lotto Park since 2019 due to a sponsorship deal signed for at least 5 years.

Stats

Constant Vanden Stock Stats
Year Opened1917
Capacity22,500
Average Attendance17,528
Record Attendance38,349 (Anderlecht v Standard de Liège (1980))
Pitch Size105 x 68 (7140)
NicknameAstrid Park
Former NameÉmile Versé Stadium
SponsorLotto
Clubs HostedR.S.C. Anderlecht
R.S.C. Anderlecht Stats
Year Founded1908
NicknamePurple & White, Sporting
Club MascotKetje
RivalsStandard Liege, Club Brugge
Previous StadiumsRue Verheydenstraat
KitPurple (Home) / White (Away)
Training GroundESSMA Training Centre
Shirt SponsorDVV Insurance
Team OwnerWouter Vandenhaute
Record GoalscorerJoseph Mermans (338)
Record AppearancesPaul Van Himst (457)

Constant Vanden Stock Photos

Constant Vanden Stock Seating Plan & Where to Sit

By Zotteteen1 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Constant Vanden Stock Stadium is made up of two-tiers that run in a bowl of continuous seating apart from in one corner where hospitality boxes exist instead. The two tiers are separated by more executive seating. Anderlecht’s most passionate supporters tend to sit in Tribune 2, whilst the main facilities such as changing rooms and the dugouts can be found in Tribune 1.

R.S.C. Anderlecht Ticket Prices

Tickets for Belgian First Division A games are only released two weeks before the matches, so it’s tricky to know exactly how much you’ll pay for one game or another. Typically speaking you can expect to pay between €18 and €35 depending on where you’d like to sit and how old you are.

How To Get R.S.C. Anderlecht Tickets

Online remains the best way to get ticket for pretty much any professional football club’s games, but you can also pick up Anderlecht tickets from the club’s box office in person if you’d prefer.

Where to Buy

Getting To Constant Vanden Stock

Train - The good news is that it will take about two and a half hours to get from London to Brussels. Once you’re there it won’t take long to get to the district of Anderlecht and the Saint-Guidon and Veeweyde Metro Stations are only a matter of minutes from the stadium.

Bus - It’s much easier get to the ground by bus or tram, with Tram 81 stopping nearby and buses 46, 116, 117, 118, 140, 571, 572, 810 and N13 all running past it.

Car - If driving you’ll want the E-40 Highway to Brussels then the RN0 ring road. Head towards Bergen on the E19 and take Exit 14. From there you’ll want to keep your eye out for signs towards the stadium.

By Air - Brussels Airport is just over twenty miles from the centre of Anderlecht, so that’s where you’ll want to fly into.

Taxi - A taxi from Bruxelles-Midi Train Station to the stadium will take around ten minutes and should cost in the region of €15.

Parking Near Constant Vanden Stock

The stadium is located in a leafy suburb and within a park, so you can’t really leave your car there. There are some shopping centres and the like around the place that you might want to look into, though.

Useful Resources

Constant Vanden Stock Hotels

RSC Anderlecht are located on the West of Brussels, the capital of Belgium and also the location of the headquarters for the European Union. Needless to say then that they have loads of accommodation options - they would need to wouldn't they, for all of those visiting politicians.

Hotel Phenix - £45+

Chaussee de Ninove 685, Brussels, 1070
Located less than a mile from the stadium is this relatively budget hotel with over forty rooms. There’s a coffee shop within the complex and breakfast is available to you if you want to eat onsite. There’s also free Wi-Fi and parking available. More details.

Hotel De Fierlant - £60+

67 Rue de Fierlant, Brussels, 1190
This three-star hotel is about a mile and a half from the ground and you’ll get a breakfast included in the price of your room. There’s a bar in the hotel and a terraced area for you to use if the weather’s good. There’s also self-parking and Wi-Fi available.
More details.

Pullman Brussels Centre Midi - £75+

Place Victor Horta 1, Brussels, 1060
The Pullman is a four-star hotel that’s just over a mile and half from the stadium. There are over two hundred rooms in the hotel as well as a restaurant and bar. There’s a fitness centre, a business centre and meeting rooms for those of you there for work. It’s a luxurious hotel and you’ll be pleased to know there’s free Wi-Fi, too. More details.

Pubs & Bars Near Constant Vanden Stock

The Belgians are famous for the beers, so getting hold of one is no problem.

La Coupe sprl

Avenue Théo Verbeeck 55, 1070, Anderlecht (+32 2 523 73 01)
This is the closest place to the stadium to get a drink other than inside the place itself. It’s a cracking little bar dedicated to Anderlecht, as you’d expect, with TVs around the place and plenty of decent Belgian lagers to choose from. Perfect for a pre-match pint.

Taverne Le Pavillon

Place de la Vaillance 23, 1070, Anderlecht (+32 2 521 20 43)
The Taverne Le Pavillon is a typically Belgian looking establishment and it’s got real personality because of that. You can get food here and it’s a nice big location so there’ll be plenty of seating. It’s a big sports location so you’ll be able to watch plenty of live events if you fancy.

Celtica

Rue du Marché aux Poulets 55, 1000, Bruxelles (+32 2 514 22 69)
Celtica is a bar with an Irish theme that promises live music and DJs in the downstairs area. They open at 1pm and stay open until the early hours so it’s fair to say that this is the place to go if you’re something of a party animal. As well as a very impressive drinks selection this is also somewhere that serves decent food and shows football as often as possible. What more do you want?

Facilities

The stadium has been well looked after and good food seems to be something they really make an effort to provide. You won't struggle for toilets or for leg room, and the views are good too.

Hospitality

From RSC Anderlecht

If you’d like to watch Anderlecht matches in style then you’ll be delighted by options available to you at Constant Vanden Stock Stadium. There’s indoor business seating, for example, as well as the same sort of VIP seating on the outside. The different Tribunes have different food options, though wherever you go you won’t be disappointed by what you find.

Private Hire

You can hire different rooms in the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium depending on what sort of event you’re hoping to host. From small boxes through to large lounges, there’s barely an event you’ll be able to think of that they won’t be willing to take care of for you.

Stadium Tours & Museum

If you have a group of 15 people or more it is possible to book a tour of the stadium if you get in direct contact with the club via the form on their website. They only operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays, cost €10 for adults and €5 for children, and last around 2 hours. The maximum number of people they can accommodate on a tour is 100.

About R.S.C. Anderlecht

The RSC in Anderlecht’s club name does not stand for Royal Shakespeare Company, as some thought, but rather Royal Sporting Club. The club was formed in 1908 and steadily climbed its way up through the Belgian leagues until it reached the top-flight in time for the 1921-1922 season. They bobbed between divisions for a bit until they returned to the top-flight in 1935 and has remained there ever since. Little wonder, then, that they’re the most successful club in the history of Belgian football.

Anderlecht won their first league title after the end of the Second World War in the 1946-1947 season. They’ve won a further thirty-four titles since then and counting as well as nine Belgian Cups. They’ve picked up three Belgian League Cup and thirteen Belgian Supercups on a domestic level but it’s on the European stage where they’ve excelled compared to their compatriots. They’ve won two UEFA Cup Winners’ Cups, one UEFA Cup and two UEFA Super Cups.

Constant Vanden Stock History

By Nationaal Archief, Den Haag, Rijksfotoarchief: Fotocollectie Algemeen Nederlands Fotopersbureau (ANEFO), 1945-1989 - negatiefstroken zwart/wit, nummer toegang 2.24.01.05, bestanddeelnummer 920-5749 (Nationaal Archief Fotocollectie Anefo) [CC BY-SA 3.0 nl], via Wikimedia Commons

Constant Vanden Stock was Anderlecht’s chairman from 1971 until 1996; a period of time considered to be the club’s most successful. That’s why the stadium was named after him when it was rebuilt in 1983. As with most grounds that have been given a makeover, the real history of the place came during its former life.

Back when the stadium was named the Émile Versé Stadium it was a lot more basic but also enjoyed some more interesting times. In 1972, for example, it was one of the grounds used to host the UEFA European Championships and was the location for the semi-final game between Hungary and the Soviet Union.

Future Developments

By Zotteteen1 (Own work) [GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

There have been plans to upgrade the stadium for years. The idea has been to add a third tier to the top of the other two but they have yet to have been carried out. Rail seating was added behind the goals in 2012 and this may be put in other part of the ground in the future.

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