Arena Arda

Arena Arda is a football stadium in Kardzhali, Bulgaria and the home ground of Arda Kardzhali.

History

The stadium was constructed and opened in the early 1960s under the name "Druzhba". At the time of its official inauguration it was among the most modern stadiums in the country. It is located in Recreation and Culture Park (better known as Prostor Park).

The stadium had a football pitch sized 105 x 68 m, an Olympic track and field in accordance with all international requirements, a media booth, and 4 main entrances. Its first renovation was carried out in the early 1980s when it became among the first stadiums in Bulgaria equipped with individual plastic seats. However this reduced its capacity to about 15,000.

During Bulgaria's economic downturn in the 1990s the overall condition of the stadium began to deteriorate due to lack of adequate funding and maintenance. By 2010 it had fallen into despair and no longer met the basic requirements for hosting football games. In the summer of 2011 some repair works were carried out on "Sector A" and the football pitch. However, they were inadequate to meet the standards required to hosting games even in the third-level football league and consequently the stadium's license was withdrawn. That forced Arda Kardzhali to host their football matches in Ardino and Perperek.

This page also has a version in other languages :  Стадион Арена Арда (russian)