Angers SCO

The Stade Raymond Kopa is the home of Angers SCO, located at 73 boulevard Pierre de Coubertin in Angers, the capital of the Maine-et-Loire department in the Loire Valley of western France. The stadium holds 17,835 spectators and was inaugurated in 1912, making it one of the oldest professional football grounds in France still in active use. The ground was renamed in 2011 to honour Raymond Kopa, the legendary French attacking midfielder who grew up in the Loire region and is considered one of the greatest French players of the twentieth century, winning the Ballon d'Or in 1958. Kopa played for Angers at the start of his career before his celebrated spells at Reims and Real Madrid.

Angers SCO have spent periods alternating between Ligue 1 and Ligue 2, establishing themselves as a solid but modest provincial club that plays an important role in the footballing life of the Loire Valley. The club's most celebrated recent era came in the late 2010s under coach Stephane Moulin, when Angers achieved consistent top-half finishes in Ligue 1 and developed young players who progressed to bigger clubs. The Stade Raymond Kopa generates a loyal and vocal support base, particularly the supporter sections in the Tribune Nord, who create a warm, community-focused atmosphere for home matches against French football's major clubs.

The Stade Raymond Kopa has been progressively renovated over the decades, with improvements to stands and facilities undertaken at various points. The ground's age and modest capacity mean ongoing maintenance is a priority. Angers is one of France's most historic cities, with a magnificent medieval castle and a rich cultural heritage as the gateway to the Loire Valley's chateaux country. FC Angers occupies an important social role in this regional capital, drawing support from the city and the surrounding Maine-et-Loire countryside. Plans for a new or significantly updated stadium have been part of the club's long-term development discussions as they seek to modernise their infrastructure for sustained Ligue 1 competition.