Montpellier was founded more than 1,000 years ago on the Mediterranean and has developed into a college town. The city has a population of 210,000 and the university has an enrollment of 65,000. Rabelais, Rondelet and Nostradamus all contributed to the renown of the university, which attracted scholars from all over the world. Through history Montpellier has been a major stopping place for Christian pilgrims on the route to Santiago de Compostela in western Spain. Today it is the fastest growing city i n the country and is the capital of the Languedoc-Roussillon region.

Stade de la Mosson was built in 1988 after a small provincial facility (circa 1900) sat on the grounds until then. The stadium has undergone changes that paralleled the growing success of the local club. For the World Cup, seating has been increased to 35,500. The stadium is located in the La Paillade quarter of the city, about 3 1/2 miles from the center of town.