Elindus Arena – stadium description

How did the new stadium in Waregem come about?

The stadium came about on the initiative of the local authorities, who in 1952 began buying up the land for the future sports park. Work began in 1953. As the area where the stadium was to be built was waterlogged, work began by digging two ponds and the excavated soil was used to reinforce and elevate the rest of the site. In 1956, the stadium stand and entrance ticket offices were built. At that time, the new stadium was also chosen as the venue for the finish line of the 1957 World Road Cycling Championships.

What does the stadium in Waregem have to do with the cycling world championships?

The cycling world championships took place on 17-18 August 1957, with an amateur race on the first day and a professional race on the second. Both races were triumphed by the Belgians Louis Proost and Rik Van Steenbergen respectively. The finish line of the races was located on the athletics track of the stadium, on the straight opposite the main stand. A temporary wooden stand of honor was therefore built at the finish line.

Why was a bridge built next to the stadium in Waregem?

In order to allow the riders to race to the finish line without having to cut corners in the final meters, a special 120-meter-long bridge was built over one of the ponds, with the road leading directly into the stadium. It was planned as a temporary one, but after the competition it was decided to leave it in place. Due to the subsequent extension of the stands at the venue and the removal of the running track, it is no longer able to fulfill its original role, but instead provides access to the visitors' sectors for the visiting fans. The bridge is also one of the few reminders of the cycling championships.

How are the 'Essevee' players coping in their stadium?

The Waregem AC (athletics) and SV Waregem (football) clubs have become users of the newly built stadium. SV Waregem's footballers played regularly in the top division from 1966 until the mid-1990s, including appearances in the European cups. However, the club later ran into problems and in 2001 entered into a merger with Zultse VV to form SV Zulte Waregem, popularly known as 'Essevee' (the nickname was also used by SV Waregem). In 2005, the team from Waregem returned to the Eerste klasse.

What does the Waregem stadium have to do with athletics?

The stadium from the beginning had an athletics track (with a tartan surface since 1983). The facility was used by the athletics club Waregem AC, which merged with Sobeca Zwevegem in 1988 to form Atletiek Zuid West. On 3 October 1962, the world record for the 30 km run was set in this stadium by Aureel Vandendriessche, a Waregem AC alumnus, with a time of 1:34:41.2.

With the construction of a new stand behind the south gate in 2014, the existence of the running track was put to an end and the stadium was transformed into a football-specific venue. Athletics then temporarily relocated to nearby Zwevegem and returned to Waregem in the summer of 2015, following the opening of a new athletics track on the grounds of SV Zulte Waregem's football academy.

How was the Waregem stadium developed?

The stadium was built in the 1950s with only one stand, located on the west side. For the cycling world championships in 1957, a temporary wooden stand was erected on the opposite side, which was dismantled after the competition.

In later years, the stadium was extended. New, reinforced concrete covered stands were built along the pitch. On the curves, covered stands with standing places were built as well. In this form, the facility at the beginning of the 20th century could accommodate 8,500 spectators (including 6,800 seats), although in the past there were matches where attendance exceeded 20,000 spectators.

How have the recent upgrades to the Waregem stadium gone?

In 2011, a temporary stand for the most ardent fans was erected just behind the north goal. On the other side, a wall with advertising banners was erected behind the end line of the pitch. Both structures were erected in such a way as not to interfere with the use of the running track.

Between June and November 2014, a completely new stand was built on the south side (including the south-east corner), which entailed the removal of the athletics track. This was the first stage of the planned comprehensive redevelopment of the venue.

In 2015, the temporary stand on the north side was demolished. In the first half of 2016, a new covered stand with standing places was built in its place. Between 2017 and 2018, a corner building with boxes was built in the south-west section. Although further expansion of the stadium was planned, work has not yet started.

What is the current state of the stadium in Waregem?

After reconstruction between 2014 and 2018, the stadium has a football-specific layout with a capacity of 12,414 spectators. On the west side is the main stand, with a capacity of 3,823 spectators. The stand on the opposite side holds 2,540 spectators. Behind the north goal is a stand for die-hard supporters (2,710 seats), and on the south side is a family sector (2,215 spectators). The south-east corner is reserved for supporters of the visiting teams (maximum 915) and the south-west corner has boxes (164 seats).

All stands are covered and the facility is equipped with, among other things, heated turf and floodlights. The stadium is owned by the city.

What does the rainbow have to do with the stadium in Waregem?

The facility was known as the Regenboogstadion for many years. This refers to the 1957 cycling world championships, during which the finishing line was located in the stadium, and more specifically to the rainbow jersey traditionally given to the world champion (regenboog means rainbow in Dutch). In addition, the bridge over the pond over which the riders headed to the stadium was similarly named (Regenboogbrug), as was the park next to the arena (Regenboogpark). In 2021, the venue was renamed Elindus Arena after a sponsorship agreement was signed with a local energy industry company.