Teddy Stadium
Location | Jerusalem, Israel[neutrality is disputed] |
---|---|
Public transit | Green Line (Jerusalem Light Rail) |
Owner | Jerusalem Municipality |
Operator | Ariel Municipal Company Ltd. |
Capacity | 34,000[1] |
Field size | 105 m × 68 m (344 ft × 223 ft) |
Surface | Grass |
Construction | |
Broke ground | 1990 |
Opened | 1991 |
Renovated | 1997–1998, 2011–2013, 2018–2020 |
Construction cost | $ 60 million |
Architect | Yossi Ben Naim Pascual Broid |
Tenants | |
Beitar Jerusalem (1991–present) Hapoel Jerusalem (1991–present) Israel national football team (selected matches)
|
Teddy Stadium (Hebrew: אצטדיון טדי) is a sports stadium in the Malha neighborhood of Jerusalem, Israel.[neutrality is disputed] Three football teams currently use the stadium: Beitar Jerusalem, Hapoel Jerusalem, and the Israel national football team for select home matches.
The stadium is named after long-time Jerusalem mayor Teddy Kollek, who was in office during the time of its construction and was one of its prominent advocates.
History[]
For Beitar, the stadium was a major upgrade after years of playing at the YMCA Stadium, nicknamed "The Sandbox". In the first stage, only the west and east sides of the stadium were built, giving it a capacity of 14,500. In 1999, work was finished on a north side which contains capacity of 8000 seats.
The stadium itself is one of the newest in Israel and one of the few that are close to meeting all European standards. It is accessible to the disabled, has modern bathrooms, and has ample concession stands, a combination that is very difficult to find in many Israeli stadiums. The stadium has 5,000 parking spots on its premises, and is connected to the Malha Mall and its parking facilities by a pedestrian bridge.
The stadium is located at the Begin Expressway and just past the Malha Train Station, which ensures convenient road and rail access to the rest of Israel.
With stands close to the pitch and excellent acoustics, Teddy Stadium has hosted several Israel national football team matches, the Maccabiah Games opening ceremony, and other public events.
A south side stand was completed on June 3, 2013, increasing seating capacity to 34,000.
Teddy Stadium was one of the venues for the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship and hosted the tournament's final match.
The first official match of the Israel national football team in the new stadium was played on March 31, 2015. Israel hosted the Belgium national football team in the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying match and lost the match by a score of 0–1.
Supporters[]
During Beitar matches, the La Familia group occupies the eastern sections of the stadium. They are known for being the most vocal and controversial of fans in the venue.[6][7]
Renovations[]
In September 2016 a new solar system which can produce 639 kW was installed on the roof of the stadium.[8]
In mid-2018 the Jerusalem municipality announced the start of a 25 million ₪ upgrade of the stadium. The dressing rooms and players warm-up hall were renovated, ergonomic seats were installed and a professional sound system was built.
The second phase of the renovation began in February 2019, and was completed in August 2020.[9]These renovations included:
- New roof for the south stand.
- Extension of the solar system on the south stand roof.
- Installation of new LED lights show system around the stadium.
- New 8 VIP boxes in the west stand.
Jerusalem municipality allocated 30 million ₪ more for further improvements in 2021/2022:[10]
- Replacement of 6000 remaining old seats in the north stand with new modern seats.
- Extension of the new sound system on the south stand roof.
- Moving the big LED screen from the east stand to the south stand.
- Replacement of the old stadium lighting with new LED lights system.
- Construction of new shops and restaurants outside the north-east stand.
International matches[]
Date | Result | Competition | Attendance | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
12 February 1992 | Israel | 1–2 | CIS | Friendly | 2,000 |
29 November 1994 | Israel | 4–3 | Cyprus | Friendly | 4,000 |
20 September 1995 | Israel | 3–1 | Uruguay | Friendly | 8,000 |
22 January 1997 | Israel | 1–1 | Greece | Friendly | 500 |
15 April 1998 | Israel | 2–1 | Argentina | Friendly | 14,000 |
24 February 1999 | Israel | 2–0 | Latvia | Friendly | 6,000 |
9 February 2003 | Israel | 3–3 | Croatia | Friendly | 4,000 |
14 November 2012 | Israel | 1–2 | Belarus | Friendly | 8,000 |
6 June 2013 | Spain | 1–0 | Russia | 2013 Euro U-21 | 10,000 |
9 June 2013 | Netherlands | 5–1 | Russia | 2013 Euro U-21 | 7,500 |
11 June 2013 | Israel | 1–0 | England | 2013 Euro U-21 | 22,150 |
18 June 2013 | Spain | 4–2 | Italy | 2013 Euro U-21 | 29,300 |
31 March 2015 | Israel | 0–1 | Belgium | UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying | 29,750 |
13 October 2015 | Israel | 1–2 | Cyprus | UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying | 25,300 |
9 October 2016 | Israel | 2–1 | Liechtenstein | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification | 9,000 |
9 October 2017 | Israel | 0–1 | Spain | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification | 28,700 |
21 May 2019[11] | Beitar Jerusalem | 2–1 | Atlético Madrid | Club Friendlies | 30,000 |
16 November 2019 | Israel | 1–2 | Poland | UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying | 16,700 |
Gallery[]
2006
2007
2007
2011
2015
See also[]
- List of Asian stadiums by capacity#Current stadiums
- Sports in Israel
- Pais Arena Jerusalem
- Jerusalem Sports Quarter
References[]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Teddy Stadium, Jerusalem. |
- ^ "Ariel - The official municipal management organization of Jerusalem".
- ^ Satellite Images Show How Israel Changed Over 40 Years, Haaretz, Sep. 15, 2013: "Alongside it, the hills have filled up with new neighborhoods such as Ramat Beit Hakerem, Ramat Sharett and the new section of Malha... In the 1970 photograph, Kiryat Yovel is Jerusalem’s frontier. Beyond it are only wadis and ancient terraces. In the new photograph, that area has become one of the thriving parts of the city — the green quarter at the lower right-hand corner is Teddy Stadium, with the Malha Mall opposite, and the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo down the road."
- ^ Arab MK welcomes cancellation of Argentina soccer game, Jun 6, 2018; Arutz Sheva, ""I congratulate the Argentine team on its decision to cancel the game at Al-Maliha Stadium," tweeted Zahalka, referencing the name the Arabs use to call the Teddy Stadium, where the game was to have been played."
- ^ Beitar cancels Barcelona match after demand to not have game in Jerusalem, July 15, 2021; Jerusalem Post: "Palestinian Football Association president Jibril Rajoub received a letter from Laport about the match planned in Jerusalem on August 4 “in a stadium built on the ruins of the Palestinian village of al-Malha, whose residents were forcibly expelled and displaced in refugee camps,” Wafa reported."
- ^ Argentina cancel friendly in Israel amid protests, officials say, ESPN, 2018: "The game had been a subject of controversy as it was set to be played in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Malha, which is situated on the site of a former Palestinian village destroyed during the war that established Israel 70 years ago."
- ^ Goldblatt, David (23 April 2008). "Football and politics in the Holy City". BBC Radio 4's Crossing Continents. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
- ^ Heller, Aron (20 January 2012). "Israeli club paying price for racist fans". Associated Press.
- ^ "Jerusalem: Teddy Stadium goes solar – StadiumDB.com". stadiumdb.com.
- ^ "סופי: ביולי 2019, היציע הדרומי באצטדיון טדי ייקורה". 25 February 2019.
- ^ "אצטדיון טדי ישופץ ב-30 מיליון שח". YNET. 13 January 2020.
- ^ "Beitar Jerusalem vs. Atletico Madrid - Football Match Stats - May 21, 2019 - ESPN". ESPN.com.
Coordinates: 31°45′4.20″N 35°11′26.22″E / 31.7511667°N 35.1906167°E
- Beitar Jerusalem F.C.
- Hapoel Jerusalem F.C.
- Sports venues in Jerusalem
- Football venues in Israel
- Sports venues completed in 1991
- 1991 establishments in Israel