Toulouse, "The Pink City," is home to the most successful rugby team in France. It is also the birthplace of the Concorde and the Airbus, products of the city's large aerospace industry. With 365,000 residents, Toulouse is the fourth-largest city in Fr ance. Many inhabitants are university students living on one of the four University of Toulouse campuses and involved in technological research. The university itself was established more than 750 years ago, making it one of the oldest colleges in Europe.

Municipal Stadium was built in the 1940s on an island between two branches of the Garonne. It is the home of a well-known rugby team, as well as a soccer team that was just promoted to the French first division. It has undergone substantial renovation for the finals, including the construction of a new roof and the installation of new lights. The stadium will have a capacity of 37,000.