The Stade de Suisse Wankdorf is located on the site of the former Wankdorf stadium which staged the 1954 World Cup final and the 1961 European Cup final.

The 32,000-seater stadium is one of four Swiss grounds earmarked for use at the 2008 European Championship which the country will co-host with Austria.

It will be home to Swiss top division side Young Boys and will also be used for international matches, alongside the new stadiums which have already opened in Basel and Geneva.

Work is due to begin on the fourth Euro 2008 stadium in Zurich later this year.

Innovative features at the new Wankdorf stadium include 8,000 square metres of solar panelling -- making it Switzerland's biggest solar energy plant -- and an artificial pitch, due to be laid during this season's winter break.