With Euro 2020 coming ever closer Romania is speeding up the preparation process. New Rapid stadium may only be a secondary venue and serve training purposes, but it needs to be built in time nevertheless.

Just before the weekend, on Thursday afternoon, the Romanian government brought good news for Rapid Bucharest supporters. The team's new stadium was approved both in technical and economic terms.

It's a nice change for a team which hasn't been doing great recently. Once among the country's powerhouses, it went bust in 2016 and is currently playing in the 4th league. Ironically, that's good for this project, because they don't really need their current stadium as much as they would have in the top flight.

The old Giulesti stadium in Bucharest will now be entirely replaced as part of preparations to Euro 2020, during which it will serve as a training venue. Due to the site being spatially constrained, decision was made to create double tiers along both side with significany overhangs and rounded edges.

Behind each goals there's much more room, enough even to plan training infrastructure for long jump and a modest running track with 3 lanes. A separate covered running track for sprinters is planned beneath one stand. Additionally, accommodation for athletes is planned, able to house 28 people.

The stadium should reach capacity of 14,000 seats and will offer a vast floor space of 40,491 m² due to five levels of facilities being created. The entirety is planned within a reasonable budget of RON 121 million (€26 million).

Timing is much more important in this case, because we're just under 26 months away from Euro 2020 opening game and construction hasn't even started yet. It has to begin soon, even if the official time frame envisions delivery in 21 months.