It has been rumoured for some time that the Szczecin venue was being inspected by the European Football Union for the highest UEFA category IV. Now we have confirmation that the structure is among the best football arenas on the continent.

Pogoń Szczecin stadium among the best in Europe

Back in early 2019, Stadion Floriana Krygiera in Szczecin was an outdated building in urgent need of renovation. At that time, the design for the new facility was already ready and waiting to be realised. It is worth mentioning that redevelopment concepts were already being developed at the beginning of the second decade of the 21st century. It was estimated that the erection of three covered stands would cost less than PLN 50 million. The arena was to have the horseshoe shape for which it was known - there were no fan sectors behind one of the gates. However, fans felt that the stadium should have a more modern look.

It was not until April 2019, after the final design had been created and the necessary tenders had been awarded, that the investment got underway. First, elements of the old facility had to be demolished. It was decided to carry everything out in stages so that the team could use their home. The construction ultimately cost PLN 365 million, with the last new stand to be put into use in the second half of 2022. The single-tier auditorium can accommodate a total of 21,163 fans. The stadium in Szczecin has extensive facilities, as well as an elegant black membrane facade. This was to include the roof, but the need to cut costs meant that corrugated sheet metal was eventually installed, which surprisingly does not look too bad. Fans flock to Pogoń's home games, but many prefer to enjoy online entertainment, such as Lemon Casino PL, where they play at online casinos.

© Szczecińskie Inwestycje Miejskie

What are the opportunities for a UEFA Category IV stadium in Szczecin?

The Pogoń Szczecin arena was in UEFA Category III at its official full inauguration on 1 October 2022. It allowed the local team to play qualifying matches up to and including the third round in the case of the Champions League and the fourth round in the case of the Europa League. Any further promotion would have meant that the club would have had to apply for conditional permission to play in their own arena. However, the club's authorities were aware that Stadion Floriana Krygiera was a higher-potential venue, so they quickly started adapting it to UEFA's highest stadium category.

The goal was finally achieved in autumn 2023. Before that, a representative of the football authorities in Europe visited the arena twice. The first time was to check the functioning of the stadium during events and to look at the cooperation of the entities working during them. The second time was to make the final certification on the basis of the other requirements set by UEFA. As you can see, the case ended positively for the Ekstraklasa team. Pogoń can now, in theory, play all their matches in European cups up to and including the semi-finals of the Champions League at their stadium.

© Styko Na Stadionach