 | |
 Interactive map of Skonto Stadium | |
| Location | E. Melngaiļa 1a, Riga, Latvia |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 10,471[2] (concerts), 6,747 (football)[3] |
| Opened | June 28, 2000[1] |
| Tenants | |
| Skonto FC (2000–2016) Latvia national football team (2000–2017, 2022–present) Riga FC (2016–present) | |
Skonto Stadium (Latvian:Skonto stadions) is afootballstadium inRiga,Latvia. The stadium was built in 2000 and currently has 8,087 seats in total (open for spectators & VIP guests on matchdays).[4] It is the second largest stadium in Latvia, behindDaugava Stadium, also in Riga. The stadium design incorporatesSkonto Hall.
Skonto Stadium is located in the heart of Riga at 1a E. Melngaiļa Street. It is the second biggest football stadium in the country with 8,087 seats, VIP lounges, offices, a press centre and cafes.
Skonto Stadium is mostly used for hosting football matches. Since its opening in 2000, it has been the home stadium for theLatvian Higher League clubSkonto Riga and theLatvia national football team, as well asLatvia U-21, while Daugava Stadium was scheduled for renovation.
The team returned to the Daugava after renovations in the summer of 2018.[5] However, since the fall of 2022 home matches were once again moved to Skonto Stadium due to problems with the grass pitch and other issues. Works on replacing and upgrading the pitch began in October 2023.[6] At the time, Latvian Football Federation presidentVadims Ļašenko said that Skonto would become the main home of the men's team, with Daugava serving as a backup and the venue for thewomen's and youth national teams.[7]
International artists have performed at this venue, includingAerosmith in 2007 andMetallica in 2008, both of whom reached the maximum capacity for concerts, with 32,000 and 33,000 fans, respectively. Several other artists have performed there too, for example,Snoop Dogg,Massive Attack,Depeche Mode andAkon.
In 2003 Skonto stadium hosted the Grand Dance Concert of theLatvian Song and Dance Festival, and in 2008 a friendly match between Latvian and Georgian football veterans was played at this venue.
In 2009 Latvian football clubFK Ventspils used this stadium for its home matches in theUEFA Europa League matches, because of technical problems with its own stadium.
The largest attendance seen by the Skonto Stadium in a football match was 9,000 people in 2003 for theUEFA Euro 2004 qualifying playoff game betweenLatvia andTurkey.[8]
56°57′41″N24°6′59″E / 56.96139°N 24.11639°E /56.96139; 24.11639
