In May, the foundation stone was laid for the construction of the new national stadium in Surčin, located 15 km from Belgrade. The President of Serbia promises that this facility will be one of the most modern in Europe and will be a "true masterpiece". What will the new arena for the Serbian national team look like exactly?

Stadium or garden?

On a 32-hectare plot situated between the Belgrade ring road and the Miloš Veliki highway, near Nikola Tesla Airport, a stadium will be built covering an area of 78,645 square meters. The diameter of this structure will be 292 meters, and it will stand 54 meters tall. A total of 145,000 cubic meters of concrete and 19,000 tons of steel will be used in its construction. The stadium will have a seating capacity of 52,241 spectators and will be built according to all UEFA standards to host major club and national team matches.

The design by the Spanish architectural firm Fenwick Iribarren is a real gem. According to their concept, the Surčin venue will be the world's first garden stadium. It will be circular in shape, with an innovative green facade featuring four rings and three levels, where green gardens will be situated. The project's aim is for the stadium to be alive 365 days a year, providing a space where the residents of Belgrade and visitors to Serbia's capital can spend leisure time feeling as though they are surrounded by nature.

The facility will be characterized by energy efficiency, providing both heating and cooling using special four-pipe chillers. This system will utilize the heat generated during cooling to produce hot water for heating, with temperatures ranging from 45 to 50 degrees Celsius.

Fenwick Iribarren designed three of the eight stadiums for the last World Cup in Qatar, including Stadium 974, which was built from shipping containers for the championship. Additionally, these architects designed the Al Thumama and Education City venues, known for their innovative air conditioning systems.

© Fenwick Iribarren Architects

Creating vast complex

The construction of the stadium will be overseen by the Chinese corporation Power Construction Corporation (PowerChina). It is expected to be completed by December 1, 2026, and according to the Serbian President's announcement, the venue will host the UEFA Europa League final in 2028.

Surrounding the stadium will be cafes, kiosks, restaurants, rest areas, and unique walking areas. As announced by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, the stadium will be part of a larger complex that will include three theme parks, a water sports center, the Expo2027 hall, and a residential district providing approximately 1,500 new apartments.

Corruption allegations?

A similar architectural solution and similar seating capacity. Bilbao - 53,000. Surčin - 52,000, the difference being that the stadium in Surčin will cost €910 million, whereas in Spain, it will cost €210 million, said Savo Manojlović, director of the Go-Change movement campaign and candidate for mayor of Belgrade. According to him, while it's understandable that material and construction costs have increased over time, they cannot increase fivefold. He added, A simple calculation shows that around €600-700 million disappeared due to corruption, which could have been used for sewage system construction benefiting 40% of Belgrade residents without access to it or providing drinking water to Vojvodina.

© Fenwick Iribarren Architects