The Stade de France stadium is pictured in Saint Denis, north of Paris, Tuesday, March 15, 2016. France's national stadium, which has a capacity of 80,000. is one of the main venues for the Euro 2016 soccer tournament. It will host seven matches, including France's opening fixture against Romania on Friday, on June 10, 2016, as well as the final on Sunday, July 10, 2016. The stadium was specially constructed for the 1998 World Cup, which France won. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
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PARIS (AP) - France has revamped its stadiums for the biggest-ever European Championship, which begins Friday when the host nation takes on Romania at the Stade de France in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis.
France's national stadium, which was built for the 1998 World Cup, will also host the final on July 10. It's the only one of the 10 venues being used that hasn't either been built for the soccer tournament, which now features 24 teams, or been upgraded in recent years.
The stadiums being used stretch from Lille in the north to Marseille in the south and from Bordeaux in the west to Nice in the east.
Some of the stadiums being used have been renovated. The Stade Velodrome in Marseille now has a roof. Other venues are new, including the Stade de Lyon, which was the most expensive to build and only opened at the start of the year. The Stade Pierre Mauroy in Lille, which opened in 2012, is one of the most dramatic new stadiums with its retractable roof.
Getting France's stadiums ready to host Euro 2016 hasn't been cheap. About 2 billion euros ($2.3 billion) is said to have been spent, most of it by the clubs whose stadiums are involved and the cities. The French government and UEFA also helped out, in the latter case indirectly through funding to the cities.
Attached are photographs of the venues that will host Euro 2016 matches.
General view of the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, France, Monday, Feb. 15, 2016. The stadium, which hosted the first European Cup final in 1956 and has had a long history as a rugby venue, will host five matches during the Euro 2016 soccer tournament, including one round of 16 fixture. It will have a capacity of 46,000 for the tournament. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)
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A view of the Velodrome stadium after the League One soccer match between Marseille and Saint-Etienne, in Marseille, southern France, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2014. Marseille is one of the major stadiums for the Euro 2016, hosting six matches including one of the semifinals. The stadium, which has had a new roof installed in time for the tournament, will have a capacity of 64,000. (AP Photo/Claude Paris)
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A view of the new stadium Allianz Riviera of Nice, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2013. The stadium will have a capacity of 34,500 for the Euro 2016 soccer tournament, and will host four matches, including one round of 16 fixture. The venue was one of three new stadiums especially built for the tournament. It's also host to France's National Sports Museum, which was previously located in Paris. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau)
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A view of the Geoffroy Guichard stadium, in Saint-Etienne, central France, Sunday, April 24, 2016. The renovated stadium will have a capacity of 40,000 for the Euro 2016 soccer tournament. The stadium, which is the only major French ground in a city center location, will host four matches during the tournament including one round of 16 fixture. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)
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View of the Pierre Mauroy stadium in Lille, northern France, Friday, Aug. 7, 2015. The new stadium which was inaugurated in 2012 has a retractable roof and will host six matches during the Euro 2016 soccer tournament, including world champion Germany's opening game against Ukraine and one quarterfinal fixture. It will have a capacity of 47,000 for the tournament. (AP Photo/Jacques Brinon)
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A view of Lyon's new stadium, in Decines, central France, Friday, April 15, 2016. The brand new stadium will have a capacity of 56,000 for the Euro 2016 soccer tournament. It will host six matches, including one of the most-appetizing first round of group games between Belgium and Italy. It will also host one of the semifinal matches. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)
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Inside view of Stadium Municipal in Toulouse, France, Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2016. The Stadium Municipal will have a capacity of 30,000 for the Euro 2016 soccer tournament. The revamped stadium, which was originally built for the 1938 World Cup, is situated on an island and will host four matches during the tournament including European champion Spain's opening fixture against the Czech Republic. The stadium, which also has a long-history as a rugby venue, will also host one of the round of 16 matches. (AP Photo/Laurent Rebours)
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Inside view of the Bollaert-Delelis football stadium in Lens, northern France, Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2016. The stadium will have a capacity of of 35,000 for the Euro 2016 soccer tournament and will host four matches including one round of 16 fixture. The stadium is widely considered to be one of the country's most iconic and has the distinction of being able to host all the town's population. (AP Photo/Laurent Rebours)
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View of the brand new Bordeaux stadium, in Bordeaux, southwestern France, Monday May, 18, 2015. The stadium will host five games at the Euro 2016 soccer tournament, including one quarterfinal match. The stadium, which has a floating roof supported by thin poles, will have a capacity of 40,000 for the tournament. (AP Photo/Bob Edme)
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