It was expected to be delivered in June, then in November. November it is but final works will move into December. Bozsik Stadion, or Bozsik Aréna (as the new facade signage says), should be granted permit for use this year but likely won't open until 2021.

Work is finishing on the new Bozsik Stadion in Budapest. The red-black-white venue in Honvéd colours already has a massive sign calling it Bozsik Aréna. The south-western entrance plaza is landscaped already, even if that landscape includes only grass and concrete with names of 16 legendary playes etched into it. A lion sculpture is also awaiting its debut, to be revealed when the stadium opens.

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The playing field was laid in early October, now the pavement around it is being covered with additional safe surface to protect players in the future. Some areas at the stadium are already being cleaned after completion.

“The rest of the building is at a steady pace of finished painting, laying of warm tiles and furnishing. The operational tests will also start gradually, so that this year the building will receive a permit for use without any problems,” said construction manager Bálint Boros, speaking to Magyar Épitók.

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At the same time railings and fences are being set up for future crowd segregation and safety. Stadium signage system is being developed to ensure easy navigation, while in December tests of floodlighting, CCTV, video boards and illumination are planned.

All of it is, of course good news. However, it's also confirmation that the stadium will not be delivered as planned initially. Early expectations were of the stadium being built in a year, which would have been spring of 2020. The deadline was then shifted to late June and later to November, due to COVID-19 caused disruptions.

Anyhow, we're close to the delivery of Budapest's third UEFA Category 4 stadium. With 8,200 covered seats it's the smallest, behind Puskas Aréna and Groupama Aréna.

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