Johan Cruijff ArenA
The first thing you notice, walking up from Bijlmer ArenA station, is the scale of those two arches — 115 metres long, 24 metres high, curving over the bowl like the ribs of something enormous. This is the Johan Cruijff ArenA, home to Ajax and, when the retractable roof slides shut in around 18 minutes, one of Europe's more quietly impressive feats of 1990s engineering.
On non-match days the stadium runs guided tours that take you through the players' tunnel, onto the pitch, into the dressing rooms and the press room — places that feel oddly intimate when they're empty. The Ajax Museum inside traces more than 120 years of club history, and the Gallery of Fame gives context to the name above the door.
💛 What travellers fall for
People who've done the tour more than once tend to linger in the players' tunnel — the transition from concrete corridor to open pitch carries a particular stillness on a quiet Tuesday. Book online; the stadium is cash-free and sells out on weekends. Check the blackout calendar before you go, especially May through July.
The story behind Johan Cruijff ArenA
Plans for a new Amsterdam stadium stretch back to 1987, when Stichting Amsterdam Sportstad began drawing up proposals for an all-seated venue of around 55,000. A revised design followed in 1990, and on 26 November 1993 the first pile of a deep foundation was driven into the ground. Architects Rob Schuurman, Sjoerd Soeters and Benthem Crouwel Architects shaped the distinctive bowl; when it opened on 14 August 1996 with a friendly between Ajax and Milan, it became the first stadium in Europe to have a retractable roof.
It traded under the name Amsterdam ArenA for over two decades before being renamed in honour of Johan Cruyff, who died in March 2016. The change was announced on 5 April 2018 and took effect at the start of the 2018–19 season. The family specifically requested the older Dutch spelling — Cruijff — to stay close to the original.
Good to know
Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA station (trains from Schiphol and Utrecht, Metro 50 and 54) puts you at Entrance E in five minutes. Tours run daily, 9:30am–4:30pm, every 20 minutes on weekends, every 30 on weekdays. No tours on Ajax home-match days or major concert dates. Bags larger than A4 are not admitted.
Where is Johan Cruijff ArenA?
Location
- In Amsterdam-Zuidoost
- 52.3141, 4.9422
- Open in Google Maps
Rating
4.4 ★ · 41,761 Google reviews
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What travellers say about Johan Cruijff ArenA
As a football fan I have always had a soft corner for Ajax, especially after their special UCL run in 2019. I support Man United, and we have had amazing players from Ajax come to United. Johann Cruijff Arena was a special place to visit, to go through the legendary corridors of history, the Van Basten, the Schneider, the Ibrahimovic, and all the great players this club gave birth to. It was a great experience sitting in the dressing room, and walk through the tunnel into the pitch.
Invited by my Ajax friend I visited the Arena as a Feyenoord fan. As in the old days it was lovely to see a match between these 2 rivals. Though I'm a fan of the other team, the best playing team should win. This time Ajax, though playing not the best, they where better.... So congrats Xaja......
Really cool place to go while you’re in Amsterdam, if you’re a football fan. To be honest, I’m not a huge football fanatic but even I enjoyed myself! The tour is self guided, plenty of opportunities for photos, and seeing the pitch is definitely a sight to behold. The only thing I would say is if you’re not a huge football fan, paying €27.50 for entrance can be a bit steep. Nonetheless, I enjoyed myself and I’d recommend it to others. The staff were very knowledgeable and able (and willing!) to answer questions.
Incredibly clean and modern stadium. Having spotless floors, seating area and an indoor area to get warm at halftime made it feel like we were in hospitality! Great stadium that has a ton of modern intricacies for food, drinks and tickets. Overall, very easy to navigate and incredibly shocked with how clean it was!
The Johan Cruyff Arena Ajax Amsterdam tour is absolutely phenomenal an absolute must for any football fan. You can buy tickets online or at the stadium for a specific time slot. The tour includes guaranteed parking, superb accessibility for disabled guests, and great café facilities. The cleanliness and restroom access were impeccable. Our guide was a true legend, he brought the stadium to life with incredible passion and knowledge. My son, a huge Ajax fan and young footballer, was over the moon. I wholeheartedly recommend this tour to all football lovers and families who want a truly special experience. My rating: 10 out of 10. Highly recommended! Thank you 😊 ⚽️🚾🏧♿️🍕🍹💯
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