Den Dreef
| Den Dreef | |
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| Full name | Stadion Den Dreef |
|---|---|
| Location | Heverlee, Belgium |
| Coordinates | 50°52′6″N 4°41′39″E / 50.86833°N 4.69417°ECoordinates: 50°52′6″N 4°41′39″E / 50.86833°N 4.69417°E |
| Operator | Oud-Heverlee Leuven |
| Capacity | 10,020 |
| Surface | Grass |
| Opened | 2002 |
| Tenants | |
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Oud-Heverlee Leuven Red Flames Belgium U-21 |
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The Eneco Stadium (known more commonly as Den Dreef) but named after sponsor Eneco is a football stadium situated on Kardinaal Mercierlaan in the Heverlee suburb of Leuven in Belgium. It is home to Belgian First Division B football team Oud-Heverlee Leuven and hosts the home matches of the Belgium women's national football team and the Belgium national under-21 football team. The entrance for visiting spectators is on Tervuursevest.
With the establishment of Oud-Heverlee Leuven in 2002, the stadium changed its name from Leuvens Sportcentrum to Den Dreef. At that point the stadium had a track and field layout, with the pitch surrounded by tartan track running lanes. There was one main stand with seats approximately two-thirds of the length of the pitch and a smaller stand with covered standing terracing on the opposite side. Both of these were covered, whereas in both curves the standing places were not covered. The initial layout was such that visiting teams used the north curve and received a part of the smaller stand.
A first extension came when the curves were demolished and new covered single tier stands were built on top of the track behind both goals, which allowed the supporters to sit much closer to the field. The one behind the goal to the west is normally reserved for visiting supporters.
In the summer of 2011 the lower tier of the main stand was extended to run the whole length of the pitch, increasing the capacity of the stadium to 8,519 in preparation for the larger attendances expected following Oud-Heverlee Leuven's promotion to the Belgian Pro League in season 2010-11. In the summer of 2012 the upper tier of the main stand was also extended, further increasing the stadium capacity to 9,493 and adding extra space to its corporate entertainment and conference facilities.
In December 2015 the stand opposite the main stand was demolished and replaced with a similar stand as the main stand. This new stand has been in use since the 2016-17 season and contains skyboxes, media facilities and the dressing rooms which were previously located in a separate building some 20 meters outside of the stadium. The capacity has increased further to 10,020. At this point the stadium no longer had places reserved for standing, but both smaller stands behind the goals are typically used by supporters that stand rather than sit.
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