Debrecen Stadion

About

Nagyerdei Stadion is an all-seater asymmetric football stadium in Debrecen, Hungary and home to Debreceni Vasutas Sport Club (the seats behind the goals are 'Vario' or 'Rail' seats to facilitate safe standing at domestic matches). With space for 20,340 spectators, Nagyerdei stadion has the third largest capacity of any Hungarian football stadium, preceded by Puskás Aréna and Groupama Aréna and the second largest Nemzeti Bajnokság I stadium after Groupama Aréna. The stadium primarily hosts Debreceni Vasutas Sport Club's home matches. It was opened on 1 May 2014 and the first official match was played between Debrecen and Újpest in the 2013–14 season which ended with a 3–1 victory for the host team. The ground also holds conference and banqueting suites and a club shop selling Debrecen merchandise.

On 5 June 1934, the stadium was opened, although only couple of days later was the first official match played on 24 June 1934. Bocskai FC played against the Italian club Bologna F.C. 1909 in the Mitropa Cup 1934. The match ended with a 2–1 home victory, however Bocskai FC was eliminated from the Mitropa Cup 1934 season in front of 12,000 spectators.

Between 1934 and 2013 the Nagyerdei stadion was the home of Bocskai FC and Debreceni VSC. It hosted the Flower Carnival of Debrecen ( Debreceni Virágkarnevál in Hungarian).

On 29 March 2010, the first initial plans of a future stadium were presented. The designer of the stadium was Dezső Zsigmond. The stadium will be able to host about 20000 spectators.

On 22 September 2010, Péter Szijjártó, the correspondent of the Hungarian government, announced that the Hungarian government will support financially the construction of a new stadium in Debrecen. It was also announced the capacity of the stadium will be suitable for all matches of the UEFA Champions League matches except for the UEFA Champions League Final.

On 1 December 2010, it was announced that a project firm will be established in order to execute the construction of the new stadium. Lajos Kósa, mayor of Debrecen and Member of Parliament of Hungary, announced that by 2012 Debreceni VSC will be playing at the new stadium and can celebrated their 110-years anniversary of the foundation.

Tibor Krecz announced that there were four tenders among which there were Hungarian and foreign companies on 5 December 2012. It was also announced that the money available is enough for the execution of the construction. The committee of the NSR Ltd. will evaluate the tenders and announces the winner who can start the construction in the spring of 2013.

The plans of the new stadium was presented and displayed on the official website of the Debreceni VSC on 3 May 2012.

The construction of the new stadium officially started on 29 January 2013. At the conference hall of the Kölcsey Centre Marjay Gyula (the project leader), László Vígh (member of the Hungarian Parliament ), and Lajos Kósa, mayor of the City of Debrecen, officially started the reconstruction with an opening ceremony.

On 15 February 2013, Géza Kamuti, the project manager of the HUNÉP Universal Épitőipari Zrt., announced that the demolition of the old stadium was completed. On the same day two 40-centimetre-long shells, allegedly from the Second World War, were found during the construction of the stadium when excavator was demolishing the heating rooms. The police had to close the area with 50 metres.

The foot-stone was placed on 3 March 2013. It was announced that according to the plans, the stadium will be opened in April 2014. At the ceremony János Halász, minister of the Human resources of Hungary, was present who said that Debrecen deserves a new stadium.

On 24 September 2013, the construction of the pitch was started.

On 3 October 2013, a public procurement was announced for the reconstruction of the Nagyerdei Stadion. 16 658 red and 3391 white seats are going to be assembled.

The construction of the entrance gates to the stadium was started on 20 December 2013.

The floodlights system was first switched on at the stadium on 17 January 2014. The 216 light bulbs creates 1800 lux which meets the requirements of the HDTV broadcasts.

On 11 February 2014, it was announced that the first match will be played on 1 May 2014. According to the report of dehir.hu, the reconstruction of the stadium is 85% ready. Therefore, on 1 May 2014 the stadium can be opened.

On 3 March 2014, Lajos Kósa, mayor of City of Debrecen, Márton Vági, Secretary of Hungarian Football Federation, and Jenő Sípos, correspondent of the Hungarian Football Federation announced that the first match of the Hungary national football team will be against Denmark on 22 May 2014. The national team haven't played in Debrecen for 12 years when Hungary hosted Belarus at the Stadion Oláh Gábor Út in 2002.

The first bird view photos were released on 13 March 2014.

On 3 April 2014, it was announced that Vera Tóth, Gigi Radić, Viktor Király, Ildikó Keresztes, Gabriella Tóth, and Lou Bega are going to perform at the opening ceremony of the stadium. There is going to be an opening match between Debrecen All Stars and Hungary All Stars. Debrecen All Stars is going to include former Debrecen players such as Tamás Sándor, Csaba Madar, and Csaba Szatmári, while Lajos Détári and Márton Esterházy are going to play for the national team.

A 41-year-old worker died while working on the roof of the newly built stadium on 26 April 2014.