The Amsterdam Arena has a sliding roof and retractable seats which came to the attention of the builders of Arnhem's magnificent Gelredome amongst others.

This stadium has been called the most forward-thinking arena in the world with a completely retractable pitch and roof.

The pitch itself is housed in a container - a plan of visionary brilliance which had never been attempted before - weighing 11 million kgs.

For every club in Europe who are planning to move to pastures new, the Gelredome is the blueprint for the future. It has 30,000 seats which should be full to capacity for every game, even if only for the novelty value.

English fans will feel at home in the Philips Stadium with its four huge television screens - one in each corner of the ground.

It was one of the first stadiums in Europe to be in use 365 days a year and the renovations made to it have not been as costly as at some of the other venues.

It comes as something of a surprise to know this famous old ground will be redundant after the group phase of the competition, as it has given so many sublime talents a platform to weave their magic over the years.

De Kuip - the Tub - will host the Euro 2000 final as the stadium cements its place in football folklore. The home of Feyenoord is famous for its intense atmosphere but its architecture is also breathtaking and befits one of the most glorious old clubs in the world.

It had a major overhaul in 1994, and by the time the tournament comes around de Kuip will be 80% covered and a ditch around the perimeter will replace its antiquated fences. 50,000 screaming fans packing it to the rafters will encapsulate its unique appeal.