Stadium MK facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Stadium MK

Moo Camp
View of the stadium's north and east stands in 2016
Full name	Stadium MK
Location	Denbigh, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, England
Coordinates	52°00′34″N 00°44′00″W / 52.00944°N 0.73333°W / 52.00944; -0.73333
Public transit	Bletchley Milton Keynes Central
Owner	Inter MK
Capacity	30,500 all-seated (expandable to 45,000)
Record attendance	30,048 Rugby World Cup 2015 Fiji vs Uruguay
Field size	105 m × 68 m
Surface	Desso GrassMaster
Construction
Broke ground	17 February 2005
Built	2007
Opened	29 November 2007 (first game 18 July 2007)
Architect	HOK Sport (now Populous)
Main contractors	Buckingham Group Contracting
Tenants
Milton Keynes Dons (2007–present) Milton Keynes Dons Women (2018–present)

Stadium MK, frontage

Stadium MK is a cool sports stadium in Milton Keynes, England. It's the home field for the Milton Keynes Dons men's and women's football teams. The stadium opened in 2007 and was designed by a company called Populous.

It's a big place! The stadium can hold 30,500 people. If more space is ever needed, it can be made even bigger to fit 45,000 fans. The field uses a special type of grass called Desso GrassMaster.

Besides football, Stadium MK also hosts other exciting events. You can watch rugby union matches there, and famous music artists like Take That and Rammstein have performed concerts. In 2022, it was one of the stadiums for the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 football tournament.

Building the Stadium

A Dream for Milton Keynes

Pete Winkelman helped make Stadium MK happen. He also became the chairman of Milton Keynes Dons F.C.

Back in 2000, a group led by Pete Winkelman had a big idea. They wanted to build a large football stadium in Milton Keynes. At that time, Milton Keynes didn't have a professional football team that played in a high league.

To help pay for the stadium, the plan included building a large shopping area nearby. This area would have stores like Asda and IKEA, along with a hotel and conference center. The idea was that the shops would help fund the stadium project.

A New Football Team Arrives

To make the stadium dream a reality, a professional football team was needed. After some discussions, the Wimbledon F.C. football club decided to move to Milton Keynes. This happened in the early 2000s.

The club first played at a temporary home, the National Hockey Stadium. Then, in 2004, the club changed its name to Milton Keynes Dons F.C., or MK Dons for short.

Construction on the new Stadium MK began in 2005. It was a huge project! The stadium officially opened on November 29, 2007, with Queen Elizabeth II herself attending the ceremony. The first game was played a few months earlier in July 2007.

Crowds and Records

Stadium MK has seen many fans come through its gates. While the average number of fans for MK Dons games has changed over the years, some matches have brought in huge crowds.

• In 2014, a record 26,969 people watched MK Dons beat Manchester United 4–0 in a cup game.
• On January 31, 2016, 28,127 fans saw MK Dons play Chelsea F.C. in the FA Cup.
• The biggest football crowd ever at Stadium MK was 28,521. This was on September 25, 2019, when MK Dons played Liverpool in the EFL Cup.
• The overall record attendance for any event at the stadium is 30,048. This was for a Rugby World Cup match between Fiji and Uruguay in 2015.

Football for Everyone

Milton Keynes Dons Teams

Stadium MK is the proud home of the Milton Keynes Dons men's team. They play all their home games here. The stadium is designed with everything the club needs, including a team shop for fans.

Since 2018, the MK Dons women's team also plays their home matches at Stadium MK. This makes them one of the first clubs in the country to share a stadium between both their men's and women's teams.

International Matches

The stadium has also hosted international football games.

• The England Under-21 team has played here twice, winning both games.
• In 2010, the Ghana national team played a friendly match against Latvia at Stadium MK. Ghana won 1–0.
• In 2014, the stadium hosted the 2013–14 FA Women's Cup final, where Arsenal beat Everton 2–0.

UEFA Women's Euro 2022

Stadium MK was chosen as one of the venues for the exciting UEFA Women's Euro 2022 tournament. It hosted several group stage matches and a semi-final game.

• On July 28, 2022, a huge crowd of 27,445 watched Germany defeat France 2–1 in a semi-final match.

Date	Home	Away	Result	Attendance	Stage
8 July 2022	Spain	Finland	4–1	16,819	UEFA Women's Euro 2022 Group B
12 July 2022	Denmark	Finland	1–0	11,615	UEFA Women's Euro 2022 Group B
16 July 2022	Finland	Germany	0–3	20,721	UEFA Women's Euro 2022 Group B
21 July 2022	Germany	France	2–1	27,445	UEFA Women's Euro 2022 Semi Final
1 July 2023	England	Portugal	0-0	26,267	Friendly

Tottenham Hotspur Games

In 2014, there were talks about Tottenham Hotspur using Stadium MK temporarily. This would have been while their own stadium was being renovated. Many Spurs fans were not happy about this idea.

Tottenham ended up playing one game at Stadium MK against Watford. Over 23,000 people attended this match.

Rugby Matches

Stadium MK is also a popular place for rugby union games.

• Saracens played the first Premiership rugby match here in 2008.
• Northampton Saints have used the stadium for big European matches, like their Heineken Cup quarter-final and semi-final games in 2011. Their home ground was too small for these major events.
• In 2015, Stadium MK was one of the venues for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. It hosted three exciting matches, including France vs Canada and Fiji vs Uruguay.

Concerts and Other Events

The German band Rammstein performing at Stadium MK in 2019

Many famous music artists and bands have held concerts at Stadium MK.

The stadium is also used for other fun events:

• It was part of Milton Keynes' 50th birthday celebrations in 2017.
• The UK's Strongest Man competition has been held here.
• The annual Milton Keynes Marathon starts and finishes inside the stadium.

Stadium Stands

Each part of the stadium has its own name or nickname:

• The South stand is called the Cowshed by fans. This is because Milton Keynes is famous for its Concrete Cows statues.
• The North stand is sometimes called "The Boycott End."
• The East and West stands are named after their direction from the pitch.

Where to Find It

Location in Milton Keynes

Stadium MK is located in the southern part of Milton Keynes. It's easy to get to, near the main A5 and A421 roads.

Nearby Places

Around the stadium, you'll find lots of useful places:

• A 'Double Tree' hotel.
• A shopping complex with stores like Next, Primark, and Marks & Spencer.
• Restaurants such as Nando's, TGI Fridays, and Bella Italia.
• A 16-screen Odeon cinema.
• A large Asda supermarket and an IKEA store are also close by.

Getting There

The closest train stations are Bletchley and Fenny Stratford. They are about 1.3 miles (2.1 km) away. Milton Keynes Central is a bit further, about 2.6 miles (4.2 km), but has more train services. Shuttle buses run from these stations on event days.

Images for kids

• 

  The exterior of the west stand in September 2020

• 

  The exterior of the east stand in September 2020

• 

  The view of the pitch towards the south stand before re-development

• 

  The south stand as of 22 February 2007

• 

  The east stand on 16 May 2007

• 

  The south (Cowshed) stand of Denbigh Stadium as of 16 May 2007

See also

In Spanish: Stadium MK para niños

• List of stadiums in the United Kingdom by capacity