Aberdeen FC’s Pittodrie Stadium: All you need to know

Pittodrie Stadium has been the home ground of Aberdeen Football Club since their formation in 1903.

Pittodrie actually predates the Dons, though. It was built on the site of police stables in 1899 and home to the original Aberdeen club, who went on to merge with Victoria United and Orion to form Aberdeen Football Club in 1903.

An international match between Scotland and Wales was held at Pittodrie in 1900, which Scotland won 5-2.

The first Dons game was held in August 1903 with a crowd of around 8,000 watching a 1-1 draw with Stenhousemuir.

The Main Stand was constructed in 1925.

What is the capacity of Pittodrie Stadium?

Pittodrie has a current capacity of 20,866 and ranks as the fourth-largest stadium in the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) –  the biggest in Scotland located outside the Central Belt.

The record attendance at Pittodrie is 45,061 spectators for a Scottish Cup match between Aberdeen and Hearts on March 13, 1954.

The field size is 109 yards x 72 yards (100m x 66m).

Becoming a modern stadium

Aberdeen FC were the first club to install and use a dugout at their ground. This was the brainchild of Aberdeen coach Donald Colman.

The club introduced floodlights in October 1959. They were used for the first time in a friendly against Luton Town.

In 1971, a major fire saw part of the Main Stand destroyed, but the Scottish Cup – which Aberdeen were in possession of at the time – was saved by firefighters.

Pittodrie Stadium became the first all-seater ground in Scotland in 1978.

In 1987, the stadium was upgraded to have undersoil heating and pop-up sprinklers for a cost of £160,000.

The Richard Donald Stand was completed in 1993, replacing the old Beach End, and opened for a League Cup tie against Clydebank.

Not just for Aberdeen FC matches

Caley Thistle played their home matches at Pittodrie during part of the 2004-05 season while work was carried out on Caledonian Stadium.

Pittodrie has hosted 15 Scotland matches, most recently a 1-0 defeat against the Netherlands in 2017.

It has also been used for Scotland rugby internationals, as well as concerts by Elton John and Rod Stewart.

How to get to Pittodrie Stadium

Pittodrie is located near Aberdeen city centre and easily accessible by local public transport.

The address is Pittodrie Stadium, Pittodrie Street, Aberdeen, AB24 5QH.

Information about park and ride systems which are in operation on matchdays can be found on the Aberdeen FC website. 

If you plan on driving to Pittodrie, be aware parking can be extremely limited on a matchdays due to being surrounded by residential areas.

The best options for parking near Pittodrie are:

• Aberdeen Beach esplanade (10-minute walk)
• Frederick Street Car Park (20-minute walk)
• Gallowgate Car Park (20-minute walk)

Aberdeen FC season tickets

Aberdeen offer cheaper season ticket prices during an “early bird” window and discounts for over-65s, over-75s, youths (18-21), under-18s and under-12s.

Season ticket information can be found here. 

Ticket prices for upcoming games can be found here.