Fudbalski stadion Lagator – stadium description

How did the new stadium in Loznica come about?

In 2019, a concept for a new football stadium in Loznica was drawn up by the Pro-Ing studio (the same year FK Loznica celebrated its 100th anniversary). In October 2020, a tender was launched, to which one bidder joined, but offering a price that exceeded the budget. However, it was finally decided to sign the contract at the end of December.

The construction of the stadium was made possible by funding from the government's sports infrastructure improvement programme. The value of the contract is 3.6 billion Serbian dinars (3 billion excluding tax).

The main contractor was a consortium of companies Termomont doo Beograd, Teming Electrotechnology doo Niš, MPP Jedinstvo ad Sevojno, Geourb group doo Beograd, Saša Milosavljević PR Centar za preventivni inženjering, projektovanje, edukaciju i savetovanje BP Consulting Kruševac, Tron Tex doo Novi Sad, CEP doo Beograd and Dim trade Beograd.

The facility was planned partly on the site of the club's previous stadium, FK Loznica (the pitch was moved slightly to the north, also occupying the site of the previous training pitches).

The architectural concept of the new Lagator stadium can be viewed on a separate subpage

How did the construction of the new Loznica stadium proceed?

A report on the construction of the new Lagator stadium can be viewed on a separate subpage

In March 2021, demolition of the old facility began, and in April 2021 construction of the new venue started. For the duration of the construction, FK Loznica's players moved to the stadium in the nearby village of Klupci (normally the home venue of FK Radnički Klupci).

Construction was scheduled to be completed in February 2023. During the works, some problems occurred, including flooding of the premises of the stadium and bacteria infesting the turf. Eventually, the facility was prepared to open in autumn 2023.

When did the new Lagator stadium open?

The inauguration of the new stadium in Loznica took place on November 18, 2023. On the opening day, the facility was visited by, among others, the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, and the President of the Serbian Football Association, Dragan Džajić, and the stadium hosted a match within the Serbian League West (third competition level) between FK Loznica and FK Vrelo Sport (3:2).

What area is the Lagator stadium located in?

The area where the stadium is located, known as Lagator, according to accounts, formerly belonged to the family of Vuk Karadžić, a linguist and reformer of the Serbian language. The name Lagator, on the other hand, comes from the term for a military rank from Ottoman times.

Today, the stadium and its surroundings are owned by the city. The old stadium was built on this site after the Second World War, and took its final shape (until it was demolished) between 1989 and 1997, when two new stands were built along the pitch. Next to the stadium, a municipal sports complex was built with a sports hall (opened in 1984) and an outdoor swimming pool.

Once the new football stadium is in place, the complex is to be expanded with further facilities: an athletics stadium and an indoor Olympic swimming pool.

What does the Lagator stadium look like?

The new Lagator stadium has a football-specific layout and can accommodate 8,067 spectators. The stands surround the pitch on all sides and are equipped with folding chairs in blue tones. They reach their highest height along the pitch. The main stand with VIP boxes and the supporting facilities is located on the west side. The lowest rows of the auditorium are slightly above pitch level.

The auditorium is fully covered, with floodlights and two video screens (above the east and south stands) installed under the roof. The stadium has a pitch with a hybrid turf, equipped with a heating system. The facility meets UEFA Category 4 requirements.

Noticeable feature of the facility's architecture is the row of columns supporting the upper tier of stands. The entire roof structure is based on their capitals. Also remarkable is the division of the relatively low stands into two tiers. Although the shape of the roof is symmetrical, it is rather extraordinary. The entire structure is topped off with white louvers covering the stands from the outside, giving the building the impression of a compact, complete unit.

In place of the training pitches that were removed, a new one with artificial turf was built behind the south stand. The project also included new car parks.

The new stadium is significantly larger than its predecessor and presents an incomparably higher standard. The construction of the modern facility in Loznica was made possible thanks to government funds, which were also used to finance the construction of the stadiums in Leskovac and Zaječar, both built at the same time.

How is the Lagator stadium being used?

Thanks to the investment, the town of Loznica, which has a population of less than 20,000, has been given a stadium capable of hosting top-level matches, including national teams and European cup competitions, as well as major cultural events.

The new facility should serve local football for years to come, although it will certainly be a challenge to use it to its full potential (FK Loznica was relegated to the third division a few months before opening).