With a seating capacity of 50,186, it is the fourth-largest sports stadium in France and the home of French professional football club Lille.

[2] The stadium, which hosted UEFA Euro 2016 or 2023 Rugby World Cup, can also be turned into an adjustable arena being expandable to 30,000 seats where indoor sports games and concerts took place.

Therefore, multiple Davis Cup events, EuroBasket 2015 and 2024 Summer Olympics basketball and handball tournaments matches were held in the building.

The club, left without a place to play, moved to the Stadium Nord which was smaller than Grimonprez-Jooris (18,154 seats) and did not fulfill UEFA demands.

This situation forced the team, who had qualified for 2005–06 UEFA Champions League, to play at the Stade de France for its European matches.

This solution was abandoned after two young LOSC fans lost their lives when they got hit by an incoming train after a game against Olympique Lyonnais.

On 5 December 2006, an industrial bid for a 50,000-seat multi-purpose stadium, able to receive sport competitions, cultural shows and hold seminars, was launched.

The following January, three worldwide construction companies answered the call, each one with ambitious projects: In February 2008, Eiffage was selected during a general meeting to build the stadium.

On one hand, Martine Aubry and her First Deputy Pierre de Saintignon, in charge of the project, highlighted the Grand Stade as "a splendid ambassador of the technologies of our region, and a great tool of attractivity".

On the other hand, opponents pointed to a lack of long term viability, since part of the public investments were bound to sporting events, whose results are of random nature.

This creates a second lower-level floor plan and surrounding seats called Boîte à Spectacles, where basketball, tennis or music shows can take place.