Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi - Home of Zebre Parma

Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi is the home of Italian URC franchise Zebre Parma — one of two Italian professional rugby clubs in the United Rugby Championship. Located in the Cittadella del Rugby (Rugby Citadel) sports complex on Via Moletolo in the Cortile San Martino area of Parma, in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, the 5,000-capacity all-seater rugby-specific ground is owned by the City of Parma and managed by the Italian Rugby Federation (FIR). The stadium opened in 2008 as Stadio XXV Aprile (replacing the demolished original Stadio Lanfranchi on Viale Piacenza), was renovated in 2013-14 to expand capacity from 3,600 to 5,000, and was officially renamed Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi in January 2015 in honour of the legendary Parma-born Italian rugby international (1925-2001). Zebre Parma have called the stadium home since 2012, replacing the dissolved Aironi franchise in the Pro12 league and the Heineken Cup. The grass-surfaced stadium is part of the Italian Rugby Federation's elite training centre and also hosts Crociati Parma Rugby FC, Gran Parma Rugby, and the Parma Panthers American football team. The famous Sergio Lanfranchi who lends his name to the venue played 101 matches for Rugby Parma between 1946-1950 (winning the 1950 Italian championship) before becoming a legend in France with FC Grenoble — where his bust still sits in front of the club's headquarters.

Italian rugby in Parma traces its roots to 1931 when Rugby Parma was founded. The original Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi on Viale Piacenza opened in the post-war era with a 3,600 capacity, named after the famous Parma-born Italian rugby international Sergio Lanfranchi (1925-2001). The original stadium was described and referenced in John Grisham's 2007 novel "Playing for Pizza", which is set in Parma. However, the original ground was demolished in July 2008 to make way for the headquarters of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Construction of a replacement modern rugby stadium began in 2007 at a new site within the Moletolo sports complex in the Cortile San Martino area of Parma, opening in 2008 as the 3,600-capacity Stadio XXV Aprile. In 2012, the new stadium became home to the newly-founded Zebre franchise, which replaced the dissolved Aironi in the Pro12 league and the Heineken Cup. A major renovation in 2013-14 expanded capacity from 3,600 to 5,000 with the construction of new covered stands. The City of Parma completed the renovation in 2013, and in January 2015 the stadium was officially renamed Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, restoring the historic name in honour of the legendary Parma rugby international after the demolition of the original ground. Zebre Parma have built their professional URC and European Champions Cup/Challenge Cup home at the venue, with the stadium also serving as the central hub of the Italian Rugby Federation's national training and development programmes.

Stadio Lanfranchi offers an intimate Italian rugby matchday experience — a compact, modern 5,000-capacity rugby-specific ground where Zebre Parma's supporters cheer the "Zebre" (Zebras — the team's name referring to their distinctive black and white striped jerseys reminiscent of the famous local Juventus connection). The Friday evening URC matchday tradition has become a Parma institution, with the stadium's grass pitch, modern covered stands, and close fan-pitch proximity creating a passionate Italian rugby atmosphere. The famous Italian Friday night Friday fixture under floodlights — accompanied by traditional Italian rugby chants and the rousing performance of "Il Canto degli Italiani" (the Italian national anthem) on big European nights — is one of the most distinctive matchday experiences in the URC. Post-match, the legendary food culture of Parma (Italy's renowned gastronomic capital — home to Parmesan cheese, Prosciutto di Parma, and Parmigiana) extends across the city's many trattorie and bars, making Zebre away weekends among the most enjoyable on the URC calendar.

Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi does not currently offer a regularly scheduled public stadium tour programme. As the headquarters of the Italian Rugby Federation's Cittadella del Rugby (Rugby Citadel) and home to Zebre Parma plus multiple amateur rugby clubs, the venue is in heavy daily use for training and matches. Bespoke group visits can be arranged via the Zebre Parma commercial team for schools, corporate clients, and supporter groups by appointment. Tours typically include behind-the-scenes access to the home dressing room, the players' tunnel, pitchside on the natural grass surface, the wider Cittadella del Rugby (Italy's national rugby training centre), hospitality areas, the story of Sergio Lanfranchi (the Parma rugby legend who gives the stadium its name), and Zebre Parma's history since 2012. Contact Zebre Parma via zebreparma.it or +39 0521 980011 to enquire about group visit availability. Tours can be conducted in Italian or English.

Stadio Lanfranchi does not feature a dedicated permanent museum, but the venue celebrates Italian rugby heritage throughout the Cittadella del Rugby (Rugby Citadel) — the Italian Rugby Federation's national elite training centre based at the stadium. Historical displays and tributes celebrate the namesake Sergio Lanfranchi (1925-2001), one of the greatest Italian rugby players of all time who played 101 matches for Rugby Parma between 1946-1950 (winning the 1950 Italian championship) before becoming a legend in France with FC Grenoble. Lanfranchi is credited with delivering FC Grenoble's only French championship in 1954, scoring the only goal in the Toulouse final against US Cognac in front of 35,000 fans — his bust still sits in front of FC Grenoble's headquarters. Later awarded the title of Knight of Merit of the Italian Republic. Additional displays celebrate Italian rugby history, the founding of Zebre Parma in 2012, and the legacy of rugby in Parma dating back to the 1931 founding of Rugby Parma.