 The stadium from the rafters | |
  Partizan Stadium Location within Belgrade | |
| Full name | Partizan Stadium |
|---|---|
| Former names | JNA Stadium (1951–1989) |
| Location | Autokomanda,Belgrade, Serbia |
| Coordinates | 44°47′19.48″N20°27′32.75″E / 44.7887444°N 20.4590972°E /44.7887444; 20.4590972 |
| Owner | Partizan Belgrade[1] |
| Operator | Partizan Belgrade |
| Type | UEFA Category 3 Stadium |
| Capacity | 29,775 40,000 (concerts) |
| Field size | 105 m × 68 m (344 ft × 223 ft) |
| Surface | Hybrid grass |
| Scoreboard | LED |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1948–1951 |
| Opened | 22 December 1951[1] |
| Renovated | 1998, 2010, 2014, 2015 |
| Architect | Mika Janković |
| Tenants | |
| Partizan Belgrade (1949–present) Red Star Belgrade (1960–1963) Serbia national football team
| |
ThePartizan Stadium (Serbian: Стадион Партизан /Stadion Partizan) is afootball andtrack-and-fieldstadium inAutokomanda,Belgrade,Serbia. The home ground ofFK Partizan, it was formerly known asJNA Stadium (Stadion JNA / Стадион ЈНА) after theYugoslav People's Army (JNA), which it is still colloquially known as by fans in the formerSFR Yugoslavia.
Its current capacity is 29,662, having previously held 50,000 people before conversion to anall-seater stadium.
Construction of the stadium was started after World War II, on the site ofBSK Stadion, which was a 25,000-seat stadium that hosted theYugoslavia national team as well asBSK Beograd. The stadium was built with the help of the Yugoslav People's Army, in the period between 1948 and 1951. Although the stadium was not completely finished, the first match was Yugoslavia againstFrance on 9 October 1949, which ended 1–1. The ground was officially opened onYugoslav People's Army Day, on 22 December 1951.[1]
From 1957 to 1987 the stadium was the site ofYouth Day parade. Every year on 25 May theRelay of Youth were held inSocialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Participants carried a baton with a birthday message to PresidentJosip Broz Tito. The Relay of Youth was a symbolicrelay race which started in Tito's birth townKumrovec and went through all major towns and cities of the country and it ended in Belgrade at JNA Stadium.[2] On 1 April 1957, the stadium received its first electronicscoreboard. First time it was used on a match between Partizan andVardar Skopje on 30 November 1957.[1]
The stadium was a site of the7th European Athletics Championship which was held from 12 to 16 September 1962.
In April 1989, Partizan Belgrade purchased the stadium from theYugoslav People's Army, and thus became the owner. The name of the stadium were officially changed inPartizan Stadium.[1] Partizan stadium had a 50,000 capacity before the newUEFA security regulations came in effect. There were 15,924 seats, 33 000 standing places and 585 box seats. It was renovated in 1998, and has had a capacity of 29,775 since.[3]
The stadium hosted Partizan in their first-everUEFA Champions League, the2003-04 edition. In the qualifiers they eliminatedBobby Robson'sNewcastle United; losing 0–1 in Belgrade, but in rematch atSt James' Park they won byIvica Iliev's goal in regular time and reached the group stages after a penalty shoot-out.[4] Despite being drawn in a tough group with Real Madrid (the previous year's Champions League semi-finalist),Porto (the winner of the2002–03 UEFA Cup and the eventual winner of thecompetition) andMarseille (the eventual runners-up of the2003–04 UEFA Cup).,[5] the stadium proved a tough ground for the opposition and the team did not lost a home game, playing out a 0–0 draw with Real Madrid's famousGalácticos, which included players such asZinedine Zidane,Ronaldo,Luís Figo,Roberto Carlos,Raúl andDavid Beckham; a 1–1 draw with Porto, led by coachJosé Mourinho; and Marseille, with its superstarsFabien Barthez andDidier Drogba, while playing some inspired football in the away matches at Madrid (0–1), Marseille (0–3) and Porto (1–2).
In September 2010, Partizan stadium was reorganized in a few places for theUEFA Champions League. Due to UEFA stadium standards, the fences on the eastern and western stands were shortened from 2.25m to 0.70m. The football pitch was extended by 1 square meter. New, modern goal-posts were mounted, and brand new media boxes were constructed on top of the western stand.[6] Partizan'sChampions League game againstArsenal on 20 September, was almost postponed due to two of the stadium's floodlights failing. However, one of them was fixed and the referee,Wolfgang Stark gave consent for the match to be played with only 3 floodlights.[7]
In March 2012, the old scoreboard was replaced with a newLED display after 55 years of service.[8] On 7 September 2012, Partizan Belgrade announced a sponsorship agreement between theCarlsberg Group and the club, which includes also the placement of black and white chairs on the whole stadium.[9]
The Partizan Stadium has 29,775 seats split between four stands: the south, north, west and east. The stands have a height of 21 metres (69 ft) and a span of 236 metres (774 ft) in length (north-south) and 150 metres (490 ft) in width (east-west). There are 30 rows of seats and 30 entry and exit gates for spectators. The playing field measures 105 by 68 metres (344 ft × 223 ft), and is illuminated at 1,400lux (Philips).[3] The stadium has athletic trace, two grass fields, a training court with locker rooms, press center and restaurant. Within the stadium complex is also 18tennis courts,boxing hall,shooting range, gym, medical center and commercial area.[3]
In 2006, the current stadium was to be redesigned by Swiss firm Mob Lab. The capacity of the new Partizan stadium would have been approximately 38,000 seats with a modernbusiness park filled with hotels, office buildings, tennis courts and multiplex cinema.[10]
Beside sport events, the stadium is also a place for various concerts and shows. The stadium facilities and acoustics meet demands of local artists and international superstars.[citation needed]
| Preceded by | European Athletics Championships Main Venue 1962 | Succeeded by |
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| Home stadium |
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| Training ground | |
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| Entertainment venues | |
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| Historical landmarks |
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| Other | |
| Under construction | |
