Events
Although Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the stadium in November 2007, it hosted its first game on 18 July 2007, a match against a Chelsea XI, which resulted in a 4–3 win for the home side. Later in July an England Legends XI took on a World Legends XI in a match in memory of the late England footballer Alan Ball. In November 2007 the stadium hosted its first FIFA sanctioned international football match when the England Under 21 team hosted their Bulgarian counterparts in a UEFA Euro 2009 qualifier. Since then, the stadium has been used a number of times to host England Under 21 internationals, such as a June 2009 warm-up game for the 2009 Under-21 European Championship against Azerbaijan Under-21's (which England won a resounding 7–0). The stadium was used as a centrepoint for the 40th birthday celebrations of Milton Keynes which took place during 2007.
The stadium also marked another first on 8 May 2008 when it hosted its first rugby union fixture. Guinness Premiership side Saracens entertained Bristol away from their regular Vicarage Road ground, due to Watford F.C. playing at home in the 2008 Championship play-off semi-final.
On 5 June 2010, the stadium hosted a full international friendly; Ghana beat Latvia 1–0 in their last warm-up before the World Cup in South Africa.
Read more about this topic: Stadium Mk
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—Anna Quindlen (b. 1952)
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