NEC Nijmegen team logo

NEC Nijmegen

NEC
Founded: 1900
Type: domestic
Country: Netherlands Netherlands
Last Played:
Active Seasons: 61

NEC Nijmegen Stadium

Goffertstadion

Goffertstadion

Nijmegen, Stadionplein 1 12,500 capacity

The Goffertstadion is the traditional home of NEC Nijmegen, located at Stadionplein 1 in the city of Nijmegen, Gelderland. The stadium holds 12,500 spectators and has been in use since 1939, occupying a site in the Goffert Park area on the southern edge of the Nijmegen city centre. The ground is named after the park in which it is situated, and the surrounding green landscape gives it a pleasant setting that contrasts with more urban stadium environments. Despite its modest capacity, the Goffertstadion has been the home of top-flight Dutch football for many decades and carries a strong local identity.

NEC Nijmegen - standing for Nijmegen Eendracht Combinatie - have had a fluctuating history in Dutch football, spending periods in both the Eredivisie and Eerste Divisie. The club's greatest achievement in European terms was their UEFA Cup participation in the 1970s, when a strong NEC side competed against continental clubs. More recently, NEC returned to the Eredivisie in 2021 after several years in the second division and have since established themselves back at the top level of Dutch football, competing regularly for European places. Nijmegen itself is one of the Netherlands' oldest cities, with Roman origins and a rich medieval heritage.

The Goffertstadion has been the scene of some memorable moments in NEC's history and generates a passionate atmosphere when the club are performing well. The ground's modest capacity means tickets for big Eredivisie matches are highly sought after, and the stadium regularly approaches full capacity for top fixtures. NEC's location in Nijmegen, in the Gelderland region close to the German border, gives the club a distinct regional identity separate from the Randstad football triangle of Ajax, Feyenoord, and PSV. The Goffertstadion has been gradually improved over the years, though discussions about a potential new or expanded stadium have been held as part of the club's longer-term development plans.