OFIS Architects Complete Competition Winning Soccer Stadium in Slovenia

Slovenian OFIS Architects recently completed the soccer stadium in Maribor, eastern Slovenia, which won them the competition back in 1998.

The site is located in the center of the city. In the 1960s, a small tribune was build along one side of the field covered with a massive arched concrete roof.

competition site before reconstruction

stadium today after completion

The brief was to convert the field into a soccer stadium and extend the existing building with covered tribunes (for 12,500 spectators, VIP and press facilities) and additional public program, such as four big gymnasiums, fitness club with swimming pools, shops, and restaurants.

The project proposed a ring of tribunes weaving above an enclosed base with the public programs.The lowest and the highest point of the tribunes are defined by the quality of the view of the spectator.

In the corners of the field, where the views are restricted, the entrances to the tribunes are displaced. The ring is pulled down here to the level of the entry plateau. Then it rises gently and reaches the highest points in the middle of the field’s length. The corridor of the ring is double layered and provides room for VIP, Press and refreshments.

The other sport facilities and shops are located in the tribune’s base. The roof of the base forms an entry plateau to the tribunes and also offers views to the smaller sport field outside of the stadium.

The budget for the stadium construction was 10.8 million Euro.

Photo credits: Tomaž Gregorič

Chester Soccer Stadium

The big news on the City's economic development front is a large scale mixed use development project on the Chester waterfront. Located southwest of the Commodore Barry Bridge, this development will be anchored by an 18,500 seat soccer stadium, which officially broke ground on December 1, 2008. The stadium will not only bring the nation's 16th Major League Soccer franchise to Chester, but it will also bring new job opportunities and economic activity to the City.

In addition, this world class venue will also be the home of the Women's Professional Soccer league, beginning in 2010. The stadium will also host a number of additional events throughout the year, including potential concerts and various high school and collegiate sporting events. The completion date for the soccer stadium is scheduled for the spring of 2010.

As an existing brownfield site, a significant benefit of this development will result in a substantial level of environmental cleanup, which is being closely monitored by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. Click here for more information about the cleanup of the site.

For more information on Major League Soccer and the Women's Professional Soccer league visit the sites below:

LOUIS II STADIUM

Built in the 1980’s, inaugurated by SAS Prince Rainier III on January 25, 1985, the Louis II Stadium is a gigantic complex of 30,000 m ² including :

• an open air stadium
• Athletic facilities used for sporting activities and events
• A 1,700 capacity, 4 floored parking garage
• A complex of office space surrounding the stadium.

The Louis II Stadium contains three principal components intended to accommodate athletes and spectators :

• The multisport athletic complex
• The Aquatic Center
• The soccer stadium and the track and field facilities

The soccer stadium is the only of its kind. While respecting the standards of UEFA, the lawn rests on the roof of the parking garage 850m above ground level. The enclosure contains 18,523 seats. An awning provides shelter for the fans and also lights the field for night games.

At the end of the 2001-2002 season, renovations were made to the stadium lighting system. The projectors were repositioned and the number of units was recalculated in order to create a more uniformed effect. The amount of lights increased from 200 to 340, and it is of note to mention, a backup system was installed to relight the stadium instantaneously in the unlikely event of a power outage.

Two different lighting configurations were installed: one for athletic events with 310 projectors, and another for soccer with approximately 200 projectors.

These improvements allowed for an increase in horizontal lighting from 1,030 lux to 2,200 lux and in vertical lighting from 1,010 lux to 1,800 lux. New UEFA and FFF regulations recommend an average of 1,400 lux for horizontal and vertical illumination.

An electronic control panel, coordinated with an electronic timing system, allows for instantaneous transmissions of results to the fans.

The AS Monaco FC Youth Academy is integrated within the complex itself. Designed to accommodate young players, it includes individual rooms, a restaurant, and other additional facilities.

Facts :

• Field : 105m x 68m
• Capacity : 18 523 seats
• Press Tribune: : 102 seats
• Audiovisual Media Tribune : 23 seats (standard competition of three seats)
• Photo Laboratory : 7 Dark rooms with running water, telephone service, and electricity
• Press Conference Room : 80 seats

Visit the Louis II Stadium !

Come from Monday through Friday to the Louis II Stadium reception area, 7 avenue des Castelans, for a 30 minute tour, and see all the sights.

Visiting Schedule : 10:30am, 11:30am, 2:30pm, 4:00pm, and an additional meeting time at 5:00pm during the summer.

Estadio Centenario

Everthing is ready and all tickets have been sold. Now we wait to see how many norteños make the trip to the stadium that hosted the first ever World Cup in 1930. Let’s hope history repeats itself and the Uruguayans provide a performance like the Charruas from the past.

The Monterrey soccer stadium

Exhibition Stadium

They both had Astroturf, aside from that I don't know what else is similar about them.

Exhibition Stadium: There's a new soccer stadium on the site now


SkyDome: renamed Rogers Centre a few years ago



Two different structures at different sites, one of them badly set up for baseball and the other one pretty good

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Ataturk Olympics Stadium in Istanbul

The Atatürk Olympics Stadium is the largest football (soccer) stadium in Turkey. It's located in Ikitelli district of Istanbul, about 30 kilometers (19 miles) west of the city center. It was built for the purpose of Turkey's Olympics bidding in 3 years time and opened in 2002, around 100 million US dollars were spent for the construction. The stadium is dedicated to the great leader of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

The stadium officially has a capacity of 75.145 sports fans, which can go up to 81.000. A total of 669 seats are reserved for the press and 335 for the protocol. There are 558 toilets, 6 elevators, several first aid rooms and a small hospital room, 98 metal detectors, 38 security cameras, VIP rooms, training fields, amphitheaters, meeting rooms, and areas reserved for the fireman and police etc.

Atatürk Stadium is the home of Turkish National Soccer Team, all of their official games are played here. Besides the national team, also Galatasaray football team plays here during some important matches. Champions League final between Milan and Liverpool was played in Atatürk Stadium on 25 May 2005, and UEFA has rated it as a "5-star sport complex". Besides footbal games, some important athletic races are also held in the stadium.

stadium

On 25th of May 2007 was the ground-breaking ceremony for the Soccer Stadium Sinsheim. At the edge of the city of Sinsheim originates a modern multifunctional sports arena. The stadium will become the home of TSG Hoffenheim - an aspiring football club in the region. The construction work of the 30,000 seats big arena will last 19 month so that the opening ceremony will be in 2009.

World Cup 2010 Stadium in Durban, South Africa

Durban’s stadium for the 2010 World Cup is the Moses Mabhida Stadium which is currently under construction. The stadium is planned to hold between 70,000 and 80,000 people and will be the 2nd largest arena to grace the World Cup. The ground is named after a former General Secretary of the SACP, Moses Mabhida.

How the stadium may look after construction?

As part of the plans for the 2010 World Cup, Kings Park Soccer Stadium was demolished in 2006 to make way for the new stadium complex. During the World Cup, the ground will hold five first round matches, one second round, one quarter final and one semi final match.

The Moses Mabhida Stadium is adjacent to the ABSA stadium in the Kings Park Sporting Precinct and is located in KwaZula Natal.

Kashima Soccer Stadium

Soccer Stadium

On April 1, 2000, Arizona State University unveiled the latest amenity in its sports facilities, the Soccer Stadium.

The Soccer Stadium features chair-back bleachers and individual seats with a capacity for 1,051 fans. The grandstand, which sits on the west side of the field, creates an exciting atmosphere due to its close proximity to the field. The stands are raised so that the first row sits eight feet over the field and is 20 feet from the sideline. Seats are accessible by either ramps or stairwells.

The Soccer Stadium features several amenities, making it the premier stadium in the Pac-10 and one of the best collegiate stadiums in the country. The stadium consists of built-in coaches' offices, a fully equipped training room, concession stand, team shop, press area and a home team locker room.

The turf consists of Bermuda grass and the penalty boxes are seeded with Tiffway 419. In the winter months, it is over-seeded with Perinal Rye grass. The dimensions of the field can vary. The ASU women's soccer team plays on a field that is 120 x 75 yards.

There are six banks of lights that allow for the versatility of night games. In addition, four suspended speakers provide superb sound quality.

Directions to the Soccer Stadium

From the Loop 202 Freeway:
Exit the Scottsdale and Rural Road exit. Head South on Rural Road (towards the University). Proceed south, past Karsten Golf Course, to Sixth Street. Turn left (east) on Sixth Street and follow street around to the soccer stadium.

From South Tempe:
Take Rural Road north to Sixth Street. Turn right (east) on Sixth Street and follow street around to the soccer stadium.

Partners Officially Launch the National Soccer Stadium at Exhibition Place

Ottawa, Ontario – The Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) and its partners – Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Limited (MLSEL), the Ontario and Federal Governments as well as the City of Toronto today officially declared the National Soccer Stadium at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario a reality.

The Federal Government, through Infrastructure Canada, has agreed to contribute $27-million while the Ontario Government has committed a further $8-million. The City of Toronto will contribute the land and $9.8-million and will own the stadium. MLSEL has agreed to pay a total of $18-million ($8-million toward the construction and a further $10-million to secure the naming rights for the stadium). The group has also agreed to provide a $2-million guarantee against operational losses.

"Having just been elected as the President of the CSA in May, I'm delighted that the National Soccer Stadium at Exhibition Place in downtown Toronto has become a reality as it will become the major venue for the CSA and all of our National teams for many years to come," stated Colin Linford, President, CSA.

Construction of the 20,000 seat soccer-specific stadium on the grounds of Exhibition Place has already begun and will be managed on behalf of the City of Toronto by MLSEL.

"Following almost four years of intensive work today is a celebratory day for everybody in Canadian Soccer. I wish to pay tribute to all three levels of government as well as our private sector business partner (MLSEL) for working together with us in such a collaborative way in order to bring this stadium to reality and in time for the start the FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007," said Kevan Pipe, COO, CSA

“For the first time in the game in our country we finally have a soccer specific, state of the art home which we look forward to using on a regular basis for all forms of soccer programming, including community usage during the winter when a full sized inflatable bubble is installed.”

Canada vs USA

Canada’s U-20 National Team will be hosting the United States in a two game series beginning at 7:00 pm on Friday, July 7th, 2006 at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. The teams will meet again on Sunday, July 9th at 7:00 pm at Richardson Stadium at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario.

July 7 - CANADA vs. USA – Presented by adidas
Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON – 19:00 ET

July 9 - CANADA vs. USA – Presented by CIBC
Richardson Stadium, Kingston, ON – 19:00 ET

FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007

In 2007, Canada will host the World’s finest youth players in six cities across the country – Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Edmonton, Burnaby, and Victoria – with the tentative dates for the tournament set for June 30-July 22, 2007.

The biennial event is second only to the FIFA World Cup in size and scope and will showcase the most talented under-20 soccer players in the world. The tournament has been the coming-out party for some of the game’s top players - Maradona, Saviola, Raúl, Marco Van Basten, Luis Figo, Ruiz Costa, Thierry Henry, Adriano, Roberto Carlos, Bebeto and Dunga as well as Canada’s Craig Forrest and many members of the current Men’s World Cup Team including Julian de Guzman, Paul Stalteri, Atiba Hutchinson and Iain Hume.

Last held in CONCACAF in 1983 in Mexico, Canada’s most recent participation in this event occurred last June in the Netherlands from June 10 - July 2, 2005.

Canada enjoyed it’s its best ever finish in a World Championship in December 2003, losing to eventual silver medalist Spain on a golden goal in the quarter finals in the United Arab Emirates.

For more information regarding the FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007, please visit www.FIFA.com.

Soccer Stadium

The Sun Devil Soccer Stadium opened in 2000 and features chair-back bleachers and individual seats with a capacity for 1,050 fans.

A premier stadium in the Pac-10, the Sun Devil Soccer Stadium is also one of the best collegiate stadiums in the country. The grandstand is close to the field, and the stands are raised eight feet above and only 20 feet from the sideline. The stadium includes built-in coaches’ offices, fully-equipped training room, concession stand, team shop, press area, team room and home team locker room.

Night games are illuminated by six banks of lights, and four suspended speakers provide superb sound quality.

Go ahead for new soccer stadium

The stadium will host both Melbourne Victory soccer club and Melbourne Storm league club.

World Cup Soccer Stadium Munich

Soccer Stadium

Seahawks Stadium (Qwest Field) - Seattle, WA

FAST FACTS ABOUT: Seahawks Stadium (Qwest Field)
Types of TDM: Mode Choice
Keywords: Special events, multi-jurisdictional coordination, neighborhood impacts, stadium construction, parking reduction goals
Area Demographics: Professional sports stadium and adjacent exhibition center proximate to other regional venues and I-15. Seahawks Stadium is situated on the former Kingdome site surrounded by residential land uses.
Program: Transportation Management Program (TMP) was a condition of project (i.e. Stadium) approval. TMP implementation roles and responsibilities are clearly defined.
Results: Coordinated approach to demand management for special events. In the first year of the program, mode split goals were surpassed.
Contact: David Markley, Transportation Solutions, Inc.

International Soccer Match Travel

Soccer, being the world’s most popular sport, presents many great international sporting event vacation oppportunities. Since there are few great soccer matches held domestically (Sorry MLS, you do not count), traveling abroad is necessary to see great soccer matches. So why not take a family vacation to international soccer matches? Here are the best places to watch great soccer.

Premier League Matches

England is home to some of the world’s best club soccer. The league features the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool, and Arsenal. The English Premier site offers a helpful travel section. If your interested in traveling to England (maybe a London family vacation ?), there is going to be a soccer match somewhere that will suit your liking.

UEFA Champions League

This annual league championship is arguably the most important sporting event that takes place in Europe. Club teams from all over Europe compete for this prestigious trophy. If there was ever a major soccer event to travel for, this is it. In 2007, the championship will be held in Moscow, Russia, and in 2008 it will be held in Rome, Italy. (Fits right into other Rome family vacation ideas)

The Euro 2008

If you thought that you couldn’t travel to a more intense and important soccer tournament in than the UEFA championship, you’re wrong. The Euro 2008 is a once-every-four-years event, a lot like the Olympics and World Cup. It’s a tournament between international European teams that will be held Austria and Switzerland for pretty much the entire month of June in 2008. Family vacations and travel to the Euro may be borderline dangerous, since international soccer matches often bring riots and family unfriendly events.

All in all, traveling to soccer matches is a great way to entertain your family members and children (teens).

Soccer City Stadium

he stadium provides 80,000 plastic bucket seats, and has a 2 metre "moat" to protect the players from the fans.

Soccer City Stadium before the upgrading

Upgrade for Soccer World Cup 2010

The upper tier will be extended around the stadium and 99 corporate boxes added, to increase the capacity to 94,700. An encircling roof will be added, looking like a giant calabash shell (the calabash is a hollowed out plant which was commonly used to brew beer in - given South Africa's alcohol problem, the shape is probably appropriate).

New floodlights will be installed and new changing rooms will be developed. There are thoughts of increasing the capacity further to 100,000. The upgrade, which commenced in September 2006 to complete the plan started in 1989 is scheduled to be completed by April 2007.

Artist's impression of the revamped Soccer City Stadium

High detail soccer stadium