LFF Stadium(Lithuanian Football Federation stadium,Lithuanian:LFF stadionas), formerly known asVėtra Stadium,is afootball stadiuminVilnius,Lithuania.[2]The stadium has a capacity of 5,067 people and was home of theLithuanian national football teambetween 2005 and 2022.
 Stadium in 2023 | |
 | |
| Address | Liepkalnio g. 13/2 |
|---|---|
| Location | Vilnius,Lithuania |
| Coordinates | 54°40′07″N25°17′40″E/ 54.66861°N 25.29444°E |
| Owner | Lithuanian Football Federation |
| Capacity | 5,067 |
| Surface | Artificial turf |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1957 |
| Renovated | 2004, 2011–12, 2017, 2021 |
| Tenants | |
| FK Vėtra(2004–2010) FK Žalgiris(2011–present) FK Riteriai(2014–present) Lithuania national football team(2005–2022)[1] | |
History
editThe Stadium was built in 1957 and was first namedLokomotyvas.[3]The Stadium was rebuilt in 2004 and renamed toVėtra Stadiumas the home ground ofFK Vėtra.In 2005, the Stadium hosted its first national team matches.[1]
Following the bankruptcy of Vėtra in 2010, the Stadium was taken over by theLithuanian Football Federationfor 2.2 millionlitas(€637200) and was renamed as theLFF Stadium.The Stadium has undergone various improvements to meet theUEFA Category 3 stadiumrequirements. Following the renovation, the Stadium also includes the new headquarters of the LFF, while the grass pitch was changed to an artificial turf. The capacity of the stadium was increased to 5,067.
In 2015, the Stadium was renewed. The artificial turf was relayed, replacing it with a new higher quality surface, and the Stadium's lighting system was updated.[4]
After a public backlash to an incident that occurred during theUEFA Euro 2016 qualifying Group Ematch versusEngland,a specially created municipal investigative commission deemed the Southern stand "structurally deficient and unfit to seat spectators."[5][6]While the Stadium underwent minor improvements afterwards, including an installation of a newscoreboardbefore an international game againstMaltain 2016,[7]the stand remained in use, resulting in three fans sustaining injuries during the same match when part of the floor in the stand cracked.[8]The Stadium was then renovated in 2017.[6]During the 2021 season, the Eastern stand's seating sections were also reinforced. The pitch was relayed in April 2020 and June 2023.[9]
In 2016, the federation presented the stadium to prospective purchasers, before formally listing it in 2022, subsequent to the conclusion of the reconstruction of theDarius and Girėnas Stadium.The municipal authority of Vilnius declined to acquire the venue with the 11–4–6 voting outcome.[10]In March 2024, a subsidiary ofBaltijos Futbolo Akademijaemerged as the probable buyer of the stadium.[11]
Usage
editSince 2011, the Stadium has been the main venue of a majority of the City’s football clubs;Žalgiris VilniusandRiteriaiplay in the Stadium, as well as numerous clubs from thelower divisions.Between 2012 and 2022, the ground was the principal home venue of theLithuanian national football team.The Stadium sometimes hosts a localamerican footballteam known as Iron Wolves of the Baltic American Football League,[12]and the Stadium is the venue of the Dancing Day of theLithuanian Song Festival.[13]
Gallery
edit-
The West Stand withVIPlodges -
The South Stand -
The East Stand
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ab"Futbolo rinktinė rengiasi grįžti į Kauną".Delfi(in Lithuanian). 20 March 2006.Retrieved12 October2022.
- ^"LFF stadionas".lff.lt.Retrieved15 October2016.
- ^Kalinauskas, Gediminas (2020).Lietuvos futbolo raida (1905–2018)(in Lithuanian). p. 401.ISBN9786090800751.
- ^"Stadionas atviras tiek profesionalams, tiek mėgėjams"(in Lithuanian). Sportland magazine. 31 March 2016.Retrieved15 October2016.
- ^Badonas, Marius (14 October 2015)."Akimirka iki tragedijos: per rungtynes su Anglija LFF stadiono tribūnose žiojėjo didžiulės skylės".15min(in Lithuanian).Retrieved24 July2023.
- ^abBadonas, Marius (10 June 2017)."Raudonuoti neteks: istorijos su LFF stadiono skylėse įsmukusiais sirgaliais nepasikartos".15min(in Lithuanian).Retrieved24 July2023.
- ^"Į rinktinės varžybas atėję aistruoliai galės grožėtis malonia staigmena - švieslente"(in Lithuanian). Eurofootball.lt.Retrieved15 October2016.
- ^"LFF atsiprašo žiūrovų dėl patirtų nemalonumų stadione"(in Lithuanian). Lithuanian Football Federation. 12 October 2016.Retrieved24 July2023.
- ^"LFF stadione keičiama danga"(in Lithuanian). Lietuvos futbolo federacija. 30 April 2020.Retrieved6 September2020.
- ^"Vilniaus savivaldybė nepritarė LFF stadiono pirkimui – tarybos nariai nori aiškumo dėl kainos".LRT(in Lithuanian). 27 October 2022.Retrieved11 March2024.
- ^Jocius, Linas (8 March 2024)."Liko tik formalumai: raktą nuo LFF stadiono netrukus perims naujasis šeimininkas".Delfi(in Lithuanian).Retrieved11 March2024.
- ^"Pirmoji Lietuvos amerikietiško futbolo ekipa startuoja tarptautiniame turnyre".Delfi(in Lithuanian). 31 March 2017.Retrieved12 October2022.
- ^"Šokių dienos vakariniame koncerte – 13 specialiai šiam renginiui sukurtų kūrinių".15min.lt(in Lithuanian). 5 July 2018.Retrieved12 October2022.
External links
edit