Erzincan 13 Şubat Şehir Stadyumu – stadium description

How was the new football stadium in Erzincan developed?

In 2017, plans were presented for the construction of a new stadium in Erzincan. The design was prepared by Alper Aksoy Architects. The new facility was to stand on the site of the old Erzincan 13 Şubat Stadyumu. Unlike its predecessor, the new facility was to have a football-specific layout, without an athletics track. By building on the site of the old stadium, the city's main sports venue remained in the centre of it, which is rare for newly built stadiums in Turkey, which are usually constructed on the outskirts.

Work began in the summer of 2018 with the demolition of the old venue. Aras Grup was the main contractor. The stadium cost 138 million Turkish lira to build, funded by the Ministry of Youth and Sports. Construction was due to be completed in July 2020, but work was prolonged (also affected by the COVID-19 pandemic) and the facility only reached a stage of near completion in the summer of 2021.

When did the new football stadium in Erzincan open?

The opening was expected before the 2021/22 season, but problems with the turf or the seats, among others, caused further delays. Doubts about the quality of the seating made it necessary to replace them, after which the quality of the seats continued to be questioned and eventually another company was chosen to install new ones once again.

The stadium was finally inaugurated on August 28, 2022 with a match of the first round of the 2022/23 season of the 2. Lig (third tier of the competition): 24 Erzincanspor - Tarsus İdman Yurdu SK 1:1. As the installation of new seats only on the stands along the pitch was managed before the match, the game was played with the auditoriums behind the goals were closed. The facility, like its predecessor, was named in honour of February 13 (on this day, in 1918, Erzincan was liberated from Russian occupation).

What does the new Erzincan 13 Şubat Şehir Stadyumu look like?

The stadium has single-level stands that surround the pitch on all sides. The capacity of the stands is 12,981 spectators. The main stand with boxes is located on the west side. The seats in the auditorium are white and red. A small number of black seating form the inscriptions "Erzincan" and "24". Along the top of the stands, a glass pavilion stretches around the perimeter.

The auditorium is fully covered. The roof on the south side is glazed, allowing more sunlight onto the pitch. Due to the rather cold winters in the region, the playing field was equipped with a heating system. The stadium's facilities include restaurants, shops and sports halls. The building was topped off with a façade. Despite the rectangular layout of the stands, from the outside the arena has an oval, streamlined shape.