Koševo City Stadium

Stadion Koševo
Stadion Koševo - UEFA
Full nameCity Stadium Koševo
LocationBetanija, Centar, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Coordinates43°52′26″N 18°24′31″E / 43.87389°N 18.40861°E / 43.87389; 18.40861
OwnerCentar Municipality
OperatorMunicipality; FK Sarajevo on long-term lease by Centar Municipality[1]
Capacity30,121[2]
Field size105 x 68 m (114.8 x 74.4 yd)
SurfaceHybrid grass
ScoreboardLED
Construction
Broke ground1946
Opened1947
Renovated1984, 1996, 2023
Expanded1984
Tenants
FK Sarajevo (1947–present)
FK Željezničar (1968–1976)
Bosnia and Herzegovina (selected matches)

Koševo Stadium (Bosnian: Stadion Koševo),[3] also Koševo Olympic Stadium (Olimpijski stadion Koševo) or Stadium Asim Ferhatović - Hase (Stadion Asim Ferhatović Hase)[4][5] is a multi-purpose stadium located in the Koševo neighborhood of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It hosted the opening ceremony of the 1984 Winter Olympics.

The stadium is opened and owned by the city, and leased on long-term basis to football club FK Sarajevo[6], and also to FK Željezničar on periods between 1968 and 1976, than in 1986 season, and in other occasions when their Grbavica Stadium was unavailable.[7][8][9] In July 2004, FK Sarajevo proposed that stadium be named in honor to its former footballer and club's legend, Asim Ferhatović, for all sporting and football events hosted by the club.

Construction

Construction works started in 1947. The stadium was literally buried into a local hill thus merging with its natural surroundings. In 1950, a pitch and a tartan track were also added. The stadium was opened in the year 1947. In 1966, it was renovated for the Balkan athletic championship, when a new administration building was built, the new locker rooms and a restaurant. A modern scoreboard and new lighting were also put in place.

In 1984, it was completely rebuilt for the 1984 Winter Olympics, which earned it the epithet Olympic Stadium. The stadium was renovated for the third time after the Bosnian War, in 1998. By adding the chairs on every stand, the seating capacity of the stadium was reduced to 34,500. Today, the total capacity of Koševo is 34,500 seats, and up to 70,000 for musical and various public events.

History

Sporting events

The first international football match, between Yugoslavia and Turkey, was played in 1954.

In 1966, the stadium hosted the Balkan athletic championship, and again in 1996 athletic Solidarity meeting.

Throughout its football history, the stadium was usually a home ground for FK Sarajevo's and FK Željezničar's international matches. The Sarajevo audience witnessed many great matches against Europe's finest clubs such as Manchester United, Dynamo Kyiv, Derby County, Basel, Hamburger SV, Newcastle United, Celtic etc.

The stadium's largest attendance was recorded in a 1981–82 Yugoslav First League match between Sarajevo and Željezničar. Allegedly, up to 60,000 people attended the game, though the exact number was never officially published.

Pope John Paul II at Koševo Stadium 1997

In April 2021, the stadium was leased to FK Sarajevo for operating the stadium for the next 30 to 45 years.[1] The stadium is also the home stadium in selected matches for the Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team.

Other public events

The Stadium Koševo hosted many concerts, such as U2's concert as part of their PopMart Tour in 1997 and Dino Merlin's Burek tour in 2004 and Hotel Nacional in 2015. The venue hosted papal pastoral visitations twice, first by Pope John Paul II between 12–13 April 1997, and then by Pope Francis on 6 June 2015.

1984 Winter Olympics opening

On 7 February 1984, the Koševo stadium hosted the opening ceremonies of the 1984 Winter Olympics for which it was thoroughly renovated and expanded. About 50,000 people attended the ceremonies. The west stand held 18,500 seating places at that time.[10]

Panoramic view of Koševo Stadium during the 1984 Winter Olympics opening ceremony.

Notable events

International Football Matches

Notable Club Friendlies and Exhibition Matches

Concerts

Other events

Pope Francis celebrating a mass at the stadium on 6 June 2015.
  • Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass in the stadium in front of 50,000 people - 13 April 1997
  • Pope Francis celebrated Mass in the stadium in front of 67,000 people - 6 June 2015

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Usvojen Nacrt ugovora o zakupu stadiona "Asim Ferhatović Hase" (In Bosnian)". Općina Centar Sarajevo. Općina centar. Archived from the original on 8 February 2023. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  2. ^ Zilić, Semir (17 April 2025). "Da li znate koliko iznosi kapacitet stadiona Koševo?" [Do you know the capacity of Koševo Stadium?]. www.bordovremeplov.ba (in Bosnian). Retrieved 17 April 2025.
  3. ^ "Općina Centar Sarajevo". Archived from the original on 3 December 2022. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  4. ^ "45 search results for "stadion Koševo"". sarajevo.ba (in Bosnian and English). Grad Sarajevo - City of Sarajevo (stadium owner). Archived from the original on 5 January 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  5. ^ "25 search results for "stadion Asim Ferhatović Hase"". sarajevo.ba (in Bosnian and English). Grad Sarajevo - City of Sarajevo (stadium owner). Archived from the original on 5 January 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  6. ^ "Stadion". FK Sarajevo. Archived from the original on 7 April 2019. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  7. ^ "FOTO / Stadion koji je 57 godina simbol Željezničara". Klix.ba (in Croatian). Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  8. ^ "Na današnji dan prije 50 godina: Drama na Koševu i velika pobjeda Željezničara". radiosarajevo.ba (in Croatian). 18 October 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  9. ^ "Kako biti domaćin tamo gdje nisi domaći?". SPORTSPORT (in Croatian). 24 July 2014.
  10. ^ 1984 Winter Olympics official report. Archived 26 November 2011 at the Wayback Machine pp. 10-14, 90.
  11. ^ Znate li da je slavni Pele postigao gol na Koševu?;klix.ba, 14 May 2011
  12. ^ Pele na jugoslovenskoj turneji;strategija.org
  13. ^ Željezničar igrao protiv milanskog Intera 3:3;klix.ba, 16 June 2012
  14. ^ Vujnović, Tonči (26 April 2016). "1971god. Partizan-Hajduk 3-4". HajduckiPortal.hr. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  15. ^ Mornar, Zvone (June 1971). "Hajduk u blistavom stilu osvojio krunu nogometnog prvaka Jugoslavije: Koja je tajna njihova uspjeha?". VUS. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  16. ^ Real Madrid vodio 0:2, Sarajevo izjednačilo;klix.ba, 5 July 2011
  17. ^ "Sarajevo, stadion Koševo, 11 jun 1986.: "Sjećaš li se Bembaše", 152 pjevača, 62.000 gledalaca". Ven. June 1986. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
  18. ^ Utakmica estradnih umjetnika održana je 1986. na Koševu: Rijetka prilika kada je Džinović bio bez šešira;klix.ba, 13 September 2024
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