Tribune Sud

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The Tribune Sud is named after Patrice De Peretti, known as "Depe", a devoted Olympique de Marseille supporter who died suddenly in July 2000. This stand has long been the gathering place for the club's most vocal fans, including organized supporter groups. The Vélodrome's history is tied to the club's relationship with the stadium itself: Olympique de Marseille was long hostile to the Stade Vélodrome, calling it the "stadium of the City Council," and played at Stade de l'Huveaune from 1945 to 1960 before the City Council relented and OM moved to the Vélodrome. During the 1970s, OM shared the stadium with the Marseille XIII Rugby League. The southern stand has witnessed key moments: the record attendance for a club game before the 2014 renovation was 58,897 for a UEFA Cup semi-final against Newcastle United in 2004. Since expansion to 67,394, the record attendance stands at 66,312 for the match against Montpellier USC on 19 April 2025.

In Their Own Story

The first-ever match at the Stade Vélodrome was a friendly between Olympique Marseille and Torino in 1937, ending 2–1 to Marseille. The first official match was on 29 August 1937 between OM and Cannes. The stadium's original cycling track was gradually replaced by seating as cycling races became less common. The sloped track under extended seating famously acted as a slide for fans to invade the pitch at the end of matches. In 1971, capacity was increased to 55,000 by reducing the cycling track and removing the cinder running track. The cycling track was removed altogether when Bernard Tapie became president of OM in 1985, bringing capacity to 48,000 and ending the Vélodrome's era as a multi-use facility. The stadium hosted the final draw for the 1998 World Cup on 4 December 1997—the first time the final draw was held outdoors—and seven matches including France's first match against South Africa, the quarterfinal between Argentina and the Netherlands, and the semifinal between Brazil and the Netherlands.

Reader's Guide

The Tribune Sud is one of four stands at the Stade Vélodrome, located at the southern end of the stadium. The four stands are named after athletes (runner Jean Bouin and 1920s cyclist Gustave Ganay), a historical figure of the 1720 plague epidemic (Chevalier Roze), and Patrice De Peretti ("Depe"). The stadium is located four kilometres from the Old Port of Marseille, in the neighbourhoods of Sainte-Marguerite and Saint-Giniez in the southern part of Marseille. It is bound to the south by the Huveaune river and to the north by the Parc Chanot. To its west runs the Boulevard Michelet and to the east the Marseille Palais des Sports and the Delort stadium. The Vélodrome is serviced by the bus and metro networks of the Régie des transports de Marseille, with two metro stations serving the stadium. The stadium has been a venue for the 1938 and 1998 FIFA World Cups; the 1960, 1984 and 2016 UEFA European Championships; the 2007 and 2023 Rugby World Cups; and football at the 2024 Summer Olympics. It is the second largest stadium in France, behind Stade de France, with a capacity of 67,394 spectators.

Did You Know?

• The Tribune Sud is named after Patrice De Peretti, nicknamed 'Depe', a popular Olympique de Marseille supporter who died suddenly in July 2000.
• The first-ever match at the Stade Vélodrome was a friendly between Olympique Marseille and Torino in 1937, ending 2–1 to Marseille.
• The record attendance at the Vélodrome since its 2014 expansion is 66,312, set on 19 April 2025 for the match against Montpellier USC.
• The stadium's original cycling track was removed when Bernard Tapie became president of OM in 1985, ending the Vélodrome's era as a multi-use facility.
• The Vélodrome hosted the final draw for the 1998 World Cup on 4 December 1997—the first time the final draw was held outdoors.