The Croatian national football team will face a crucial qualifying match for the 2024 European Championship against Armenia on Tuesday at 8:45 p.m. The game will take place at Maksimir, a stadium that is in desperate need of renovation. Plans for the reconstruction of Maksimir have been in discussion for years, with talks of building a completely new stadium. However, it seems that an agreement has finally been reached between the City of Zagreb, the state, and the Zagreb Archdiocese. According to Sportske novosti, an agreement on the necessary land for the stadium’s construction in Maksimir is set to be signed in December. In exchange, the Archdiocese will receive new land in the city for building new churches.
Meanwhile, another stadium in Zagreb needs renovation as well. The stadium in Kranjčevićeva street currently houses HNL matches between Lokomotive and Rudeš and has little over 5,000 seats. However, after renovation, which is set to begin in spring 2024, it will have between 10,000 and 12,000 seats. This newly renovated stadium will serve as Dinamo’s home during the construction of their new stadium in Maksimir. The budget for the City of Zagreb for 2024 only includes three million euros for the renovation of this stadium, which may not be enough for such a large-scale project.
It is reported that French construction company Bouygues, known for building iconic sports facilities like Stade de France and Franjo Tuđman Airport in Zagreb, is one of the potential investors considered for the new stadium project in Maksimir. However, other options are still open as well.
Overall, these projects are crucial not only for Croatian football but also for boosting tourism and economic growth in Zagreb and Croatia as a whole.
In summary:
The Croatian national football team will play against Armenia on Tuesday at 8:45 p.m., with both teams fighting to qualify for the 2024 European Championship.
Maksimir Stadium needs renovation and plans have been discussed to build a completely new one; however an agreement has been reached with stakeholders including City of Zagreb and state government to acquire land necessary to rebuild it.
The stadium at Kranjčevićeva street currently serves as home to HNL matches between Lokomotive and Rudeš but is planned to be renovated after spring 2024 with additional seating capacity.
French construction company Bouygues has been named as one potential investor but other options are still open.