Stadion, Malmö
Former names | Swedbank Stadion (2007–2017) Stadion (2018–2019) |
---|---|
Location | Eric Perssons väg 31, 217 62 Malmö |
Coordinates | 55°35′01″N 12°59′16″E / 55.58361°N 12.98778°E |
Owner | MFF Event AB |
Operator | Malmö FF |
Capacity | 22,500,[1] of which 18,000 are seated. (league games) 21,000 all seated. (international games)[2] |
Field size | 105 by 68 metres (344 ft × 223 ft) |
Surface | Grass |
Construction | |
Broke ground | 23 April 2007 |
Built | 2007–2009 |
Opened | 13 April 2009 |
Construction cost | 695 million kronor (€79,7M) |
Architect | Fojab arkitekter Berg Arkitektkontor |
Structural engineer | Byggteknik i Skåne |
Main contractors | Peab |
Tenants | |
Malmö FF (2009–present) | |
Website | |
Stadion at mff.se |
Stadion, currently known as Eleda Stadion for sponsorship reasons, is a football stadium in Malmö, Sweden and the home of Allsvenskan club Malmö Fotbollförening, commonly known as Malmö FF. In UEFA competitions, the stadium has also been known as Malmö New Stadium and formerly known as Swedbank Stadion for sponsorship reasons.[3] The stadium was named after Swedish-based banking group Swedbank, which owned its naming rights between 2007 and 2017.[4] Apart from being the home of Malmö FF, Stadion has also hosted senior and youth international matches.
The stadium is the third largest used by a Swedish football club, behind AIK's Friends Arena and Djurgårdens IF's and Hammarby IF's Tele2 Arena, both located in Stockholm. In league matches, the stadium has a capacity of 22,500, of which 18,000 are seated, and 4,500 standing. In European matches, the 4,500 standing places are converted to 3,000 seats, making the stadium a 21,000-capacity all-seater.[2] Stadion opened in April 2009, and replaced Malmö Stadion, where Malmö FF had been based since 1958. The new ground was originally budgeted to cost 398 million kronor, but ultimately cost 695 million kronor (€79.7).[5] It is a UEFA category 4-rated stadium, and is thus able to host all UEFA club competition matches, except for finals.[6] The ground's record attendance, 24,148, was set in an Allsvenskan match between Malmö FF and Mjällby AIF on 7 November 2010: in this match, Malmö FF won 2–0 and clinched that year's national championship.[7]
History
Malmö FF's board of directors initiated the search for a new stadium in the mid-1990s. Malmö Stadion, where Malmö FF had played since its construction in 1958, was starting to deteriorate by this time, and was also too large for the club, which often struggled to fill it for Allsvenskan matches. In 1995, club chairman Bengt Madsen began to raise money for the renovation of Malmö IP, the club's former home between 1910 and 1957, into a modern football stadium. Malmö IP was practical and economical for the club as it was already an extant site, and was smaller than Malmö Stadion, which was expensive to maintain. The renovation of Malmö IP was finished in August 1999, and Malmö FF moved in soon after. However, the renovated ground failed to live up to expectations, proving to be very basic by modern standards; the capacity of 7,600 was also deemed a security issue. The club therefore moved back to Malmö Stadion in 2001.[8]
The club's directors now considered constructing an entirely new stadium in Malmö. Plans for such a ground were first mooted in 2001,[9] but were not fully considered until the end of 2004, when the team won Allsvenskan for the first time since 1989. Malmö Municipality announced on 25 April 2005 its intention to either help the club renovate Malmö Stadion, or build a new stadium in the same area.[10] Four days later, five scenarios were laid out by the City of Malmö: the first proposed the construction of an entirely new, football-specific stadium to the south of Malmö Stadion, while the second suggested the demolition of Malmö Stadion, and the erection of a new ground for football and athletics on the same site. The third, fourth, and fifth ideas all proposed the building of two stadiums, one for football and one for athletics, on various local plots.[11] The municipality chose the first option on 3 December 2005: the new football ground would be built south of Malmö Stadion, with a capacity of 20,000 to 25,000, on a 399 million kronor budget. Malmö Stadion, meanwhile, would be renovated into an athletics stadium for 50 million kronor.[12]
Construction of the new stadium commenced on 23 April 2007, with the first sod being turned by Malmö FF chairman Bengt Madsen, Malmö Municipality chairman
On 9 May 2009, weeks after the stadium opened, part of the ground's away section was earmarked for conversion into
The naming sponsorship rights deal with Swedish-based banking group Swedbank ran out at the end of 2017.[19] This meant that the club temporarily renamed the stadium "Stadion" until a new sponsorship deal could be reached.[20]
Structure and facilities
Stadion has a capacity of 22,500 spectators. It comprises four stands: the Western Stand; the Eastern Stand and the Southern Stand, both of which have two tiers; and the Northern Stand, which is terraced. The lower-right part of the Southern Stand also features terracing for away supporters, but the rest of the stand is seated. The lower tier has 10,000 seats, and the upper tier has 8,000 seats. The Northern Stand has a capacity of 4,500 standing supporters, which can be transformed into an all-seated section with a capacity of 3,000 if required. This is done for matches played by Malmö FF in Europe.[21]
The Northern Stand holds the most season ticket-holders. It is a single-tier terracing section, with railing in various places across the stand for security and comfort. It can hold up to 100 wheelchair users and their companions in a dedicated section. The stand also houses conference facilities with views of the pitch, as well as the 2,000-capacity "Restaurang 1910" in the inside area, behind the terraced area of the stand, and a
There are 24 vending stands in the corridor area behind the stands, with a selection of snacks, light meals, and beverages. Other facilities include exhibition space, 330 toilets for men, 120 for women, and six for the physically challenged. Pre-match and half-time activities take place behind the terracing of the Northern Stand.[22] This area is called Ståplatstorget ("The terracing square"), and includes eight vending stands and MFF Support's supporter centre. At the supporter centre, fans can buy souvenirs, and tickets to away matches. The square also contains publicly accessible benches and tables. Access between the areas of the stadium was limited by a system of security gates until the end of the 2011 season, when Malmö FF announced that supporters would be able to roam the stadium freely, except for the areas occupied by away supporters. This was done to create a more free and friendly atmosphere, and to encourage fans to arrive earlier for matches. To further motivate spectators to come early, pre-match activities are often held at Ståplatstorget.[2]
The lower tier of the Southern Stand is reserved for away supporters, with most of the stand being seated. The western part of the stand, however, is converted into terracing for domestic league games. The area reserved for away supporters varies from game to game depending on how many away fans are expected: the allocation's size is altered by restricting access to and from the area with large safety nets, which are laid across the seating and supervised by stewards. The away section is small for most Allsvenskan matches, with the most notable exceptions being matches against Helsingborgs IF, AIK, Djurgårdens IF, and IFK Göteborg. These matches tend to draw larger away attendances, and the away area is therefore accordingly expanded across the entire lower tier of the Southern Stand.[16]
In tribute to former manager Roy Hodgson and his successful time at Malmö, the club's fans have unofficially named the upper corner of the Eastern Stand closest to the Northern Stand "Roy's Hörna" (Roy's Corner).[23] The corresponding corner of the Western Stand on the other side of the Northern Stand is named "Bob's Hörna" (Bob's Corner) in tribute to Bob Houghton.[24] These sections are known as "Sjungande sittplats" (Singing seating) since the two sections are fitted with seats but where the majority of the spectators are standing fans that sings in correlation with the fans on the terracing at the Northern Stand between the two sections.[24] Both Hodgson and Houghton had successful managerial careers at Malmö FF, they both won multiple league and cup titles while at the club.[25]
Ownership and financials
Stadion is owned by MFF Event AB, a company fully owned by Malmö FF.
Originally, three parties owned the stocks in the stock company, Peab owned 50% of the stocks, Malmö FF owned 25%, and Erling Pålsson Teknik & Fastighets AB owned the remaining 25%. Malmö FF early expressed their desire to buy the stocks of Peab and Erling Pålsson to reduce rent on the stadium and increase profits. On 27 April 2012, it was announced that Malmö FF were close to buying the full 25% of stocks owned by Erling Pålsson and 25% of the stocks owned by Peab, increasing their own share to 75% and leaving Peab with a 25% share.[26] On 1 May 2012, Malmö Stad granted the bailment needed for Malmö FF to buy the stocks.[27] The deal, worth 90 million kronor, was finalised on 13 June 2012.[28] The long-term goal for Malmö FF was to buy the remaining 25% of the stocks to fully own Stadion.[29] Malmö FF bought a further 6,25% of the stocks after they qualified for the group stage of the 2014–15 UEFA Champions League.[30] After the club qualified for a second consecutive time in 2015–16, it was announced that the remaining 18.75% of the stadium would be purchased by the club.[30] The remaining stocks were bought by Malmö FF during 2016, leaving them with the sole ownership of the stadium.[31]
Other uses
Stadion hosted the finals of the
The stadium hosted its first concert on 16 April 2011, when Swedish ska group Hoffmaestro & Chraa performed.[36] The concert was held at Ståplatstorget, the large area behind the Northern Stand terraces. The concert was attended by 3,000, and there were some concerns regarding the suitability of the venue after the concrete floor started rocking. However, safety checks the next day showed that the structure had not been damaged, and was suitable to host similar events in the future.[37] On 1 November 2016, the stadium hosted a public mass led by Pope Francis as part of his two-day visit to Scania.[38]
International football matches
16 June 2009 2009 UEFA Under-21 | Sweden U21 | 5–1 | Belarus U21 | Malmö |
18:15 UTC+2 | Martynovich 34' (o.g.) Berg 38', 44', 81' Svensson 89' |
UEFA SvFF |
Kislyak 33' | Stadium: Swedbank Stadion Attendance: 14,623 Referee: Claudio Circhetta (Switzerland) |
19 June 2009 2009 UEFA Under-21 | Belarus U21 | 0–0 | Serbia U21 | Malmö |
18:15 UTC+2 | Report | Stadium: Swedbank Stadion Attendance: 3,313 Referee: Cüneyt Çakır (Turkey) |
23 June 2009 2009 UEFA Under-21 | Serbia U21 | 1–3 | Sweden U21 | Malmö |
20:45 UTC+2 | Kačar 27' | UEFA SvFF |
Berg 7', 15' (pen.) Toivonen 29' |
Stadium: Swedbank Stadion Attendance: 19,820 Referee: Pedro Proença (Portugal) |
29 June 2009 2009 UEFA Under-21 | Germany U21 | 4–0 | England U21 | Malmö |
20:45 UTC+2 | Castro 23' Özil 48' Wagner 79', 84' |
Report | Stadium: Swedbank Stadion Attendance: 18,769 Referee: Bjorn Kuipers (Netherlands ) |
15 November 2009 2011 UEFA U-21 qualification | Sweden U21 | 5–1 | Kazakhstan U21 | Malmö |
17:00 UTC+1 | Fejzullahu 32', 50', 56', 67' Ekdal 60' |
Report | Shomko 89' |
Stadium: Swedbank Stadion Attendance: 2,507 Referee: Paulius Malzinskas (Lithuania) |
7 September 2010 UEFA Euro 2012 qualification | Sweden men | 6–0 | San Marino | Malmö |
20:00 UTC+2 | 90+3' | Report | Stadium: Swedbank Stadion Attendance: 21,083 Referee: David McKeon (Republic of Ireland) |
11 September 2012 2014 World Cup qualification | Sweden men | 2–0 | Kazakhstan men | Malmö |
20:30 UTC+2 | Elm 37' Berg 90+4' |
Report | Stadium: Swedbank Stadion Attendance: 20,414 Referee: Ukraine ) |
11 October 2012 Friendly | Brazil men | 6–0 | Iraq | Malmö |
20:30 UTC+2 | 80' | Report | Stadium: Swedbank Stadion Attendance: 14,147[39] Referee: Martin Hansson (Sweden) |
3 June 2013 Friendly | Sweden men | 1–0 | (North) Macedonia men | Malmö |
19:00 UTC+2 | Kačaniklić 39' | Report | Stadium: Swedbank Stadion Attendance: 14,459 Referee: Pavel Královec (Czech Republic) |
6 September 2013 2015 UEFA U-21 qualification | Sweden U21 | 3–1 | Poland U21 | Malmö |
18:30 UTC+2 | Thern 15' Hrgota 21' Ishak 56' |
Report | 10' (o.g.) | Stadium: Swedbank Stadion Attendance: 1,538 Referee: Georgi Kabakov (Bulgaria) |
21 September 2013 2015 FIFA WWC qualification | Sweden women | 2–0 | Poland women | Malmö |
17:30 UTC+2 | UEFA SvFF |
Stadium: Swedbank Stadion Attendance: 6,112 Referee: Kateryna Monzul |
19 November 2013 2015 UEFA U-21 qualification | Sweden U21 | 5–0 | Malta U21 | Malmö |
18:00 UTC+1 | Guidetti 11', 27' Claesson 20' Hrgota 34' Nyman 68' |
Report | Stadium: Swedbank Stadion Attendance: 334 Referee: George Vadachkoria (Georgia) |
30 May 2016 Friendly | Sweden men | 0–0 | Slovenia men | Malmö |
19:30 UTC+2 | Report | Stadium: Swedbank Stadion Attendance: 16,925 Referee: Jakob Kehlet (Denmark) |
5 September 2016 2017 UEFA U-21 qualification | Sweden U21 | 1–1 | Spain U21 | Malmö |
18:45 UTC+2 | 86' (o.g.) | Report | Deulofeu 50' | Stadium: Swedbank Stadion Attendance: 4,454 Referee: Hugo Miguel (Portugal) |
30 November 2021 2023 FIFA WWC qualification | Sweden women | 3–0 | Slovakia women | Malmö |
19:00 UTC+1 | UEFA SvFF |
Stadium: Eleda Stadion Attendance: 8,123 Referee: Angelika Söder |
Records and awards
The ground's present attendance record was set on 7 November 2010, when Malmö FF beat
The stadium was awarded Stålbyggnadspriset, an award given for innovative use of steel in constructions, by Stålbyggnadsinstitutet in 2009.[43]
Transport
The closest parking location to Stadion is "P-huset Stadion", a
See also
References
- ^ "För första gången - allmänheten kan bli utan allsvenska MFF-biljetter". sydsvenskan.se (in Swedish). Sydsvenskan. 22 February 2018. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
- ^ a b c d e "Korta Fakta" [Facts]. swedbankstadion.se (in Swedish). Swedbank Stadion. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
- ^ "Swedbank Stadion blir Malmö New Stadium" [Swedbank Stadion becomes Malmö New Stadium]. mff.se (in Swedish). Malmö FF. Archived from the original on 23 May 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
- ^ a b "Madsen: Inget tak i avtalet" [Madsen: No roof in deal]. sydsvenskan.se (in Swedish). Sydsvenskan. 12 July 2007. Archived from the original on 16 July 2007. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
- ^ a b "Peab höjde notan med 300 miljoner" [Peab raised the bill with 300 million]. sydsvenskan.se (in Swedish). Sydsvenskan. 31 March 2009. Archived from the original on 7 January 2010. Retrieved 10 March 2010.
- ^ "Swedbank Stadion högt rankad av UEFA" [Swedbank Stadion highly ranked by UEFA]. mff.se (in Swedish). Malmö FF. 26 January 2011. Archived from the original on 2 September 2011. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
- ^ a b "Hela, hela vägen" [All, All the way]. mff.se (in Swedish). Malmö FF. 7 November 2010. Archived from the original on 21 November 2011. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
- ^ "En lång väg från Gamla ip till nya drömarenan" [A long way from "Gamla ip" to the new stadium of dreams]. sydsvenskan.se (in Swedish). Sydsvenskan. 6 December 2005. Archived from the original on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
- ^ "Riv Stadion och bygg nytt" [Demolish the stadium and build a new one]. sydsvenskan.se (in Swedish). Sydsvenskan. 6 March 2001. Archived from the original on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
- ^ "MFF får ny fotbollsarena" [MFF gets their new football stadium]. sydsvenskan.se (in Swedish). Sydsvenskan. 26 April 2005. Archived from the original on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
- ^ "Fem förslag till nytt fotbollsstadion, men inga beslut" [Five suggestions for new football stadium, no decision taken]. sydsvenskan.se (in Swedish). Sydsvenskan. 29 April 2005. Archived from the original on 18 September 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
- ^ "Klartecken för ny Stadion i Malmö" [Go-ahead for new stadium in Malmö]. sydsvenskan.se (in Swedish). Sydsvenskan. 6 December 2005. Archived from the original on 13 January 2013. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
- ^ "Swedbank Stadion har påbörjats" [Work on Swedbank Stadion has begun]. swedbankstadion.se (in Swedish). Swedbank Stadion. 30 August 2007. Archived from the original on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
- ^ "Swedbank Stadion blir himmelsblått" [Swedbank Stadion becomes skyblue]. mff.se (in Swedish). Malmö FF. 7 March 2014. Archived from the original on 10 March 2014. Retrieved 9 March 2014.
- ^ a b "Swedbank stadion kan byggas om" [Swedbank may be redesigned]. sydsvenskan.se (in Swedish). Sydsvenskan. 7 May 2009. Archived from the original on 31 August 2011. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
- ^ a b "Swedbank Stadion förbereds inför premiären" [Swedbank Stadion is being prepared for the season]. mff.se (in Swedish). Malmö FF. 3 February 2010. Archived from the original on 5 November 2011. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
- ^ "Idag påbörjades arbetet med att riva upp gräsmattan" [The process of removing the pitch started today]. mff.se (in Swedish). Malmö FF. 2 March 2015. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
- ^ "Så räddar MFF mötet mot Juventus i CL" [How MFF will rescue the fixture against Juventus in CL]. expressen.se (in Swedish). Expressen. 17 November 2014. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
- ^ "Swedbank går från namnpartner till officiell partner" [Swedbank transfers from name sponsor to official partner]. mff.se (in Swedish). Malmö FF. 15 January 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
- ^ "MFF:s hemmaplan heter tills vidare Stadion" [MFF's ground is renamed Stadion until further notice]. mff.se (in Swedish). Malmö FF. 15 January 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
- ^ "En dröm blir verklighet" [A dream becomes reality]. swedbankstadion.se (in Swedish). Swedbank Stadion. Archived from the original on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
- ^ "Förfester på Supportertorget" [Pre-match activities at "Supportertorget"]. mff.se (in Swedish). Malmö FF. Archived from the original on 18 April 2010. Retrieved 10 March 2010.
- ^ "Why Hodgson is the right man to steady the Liverpool ship". Sport.co.uk. 30 June 2010. Retrieved 1 May 2012.
- ^ a b "Biljettsläpp 21 mars!" [Tickets will be released on 21 March!]. mff.se (in Swedish). Malmö FF. 11 March 2011. Archived from the original on 18 April 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
- ^ "The making of Roy: How Hodgson conquered Scandinavia". The independent. 5 May 2012. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
- ^ "MFF utökar sitt ägande" [Malmö FF increase their ownership]. sydsvenskan.se (in Swedish). Sydsvenskan. 27 April 2012. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
- ^ "MFF beviljades borgen" [MFF granted bailment]. sydsvenskan.se (in Swedish). Sydsvenskan. 1 May 2012. Retrieved 13 June 2012.
- ^ "MFF utökar sitt ägande i Swedbank Stadion" [Malmö FF increase their ownership in Swedbank Stadion]. mff.se (in Swedish). Malmö FF. 13 June 2012. Archived from the original on 17 June 2012. Retrieved 13 June 2012.
- ^ "Målet är att äga hela Stadion" [The goal is to fully own the stadium]. sydsvenskan.se (in Swedish). Sydsvenskan. 27 April 2012. Retrieved 13 June 2012.
- ^ "2016 Årsredovisning" [2016 Annual report]. Malmö FF (in Swedish). 17 February 2017. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
- ^ "Finalen i U21 EM spelas på Swedbank Stadion!" [The final of the UEFA Under-21 Championships will be played at Swedbank Stadion]. mff.se (in Swedish). Malmö FF. 3 March 2008. Archived from the original on 16 October 2008. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
- ^ Stjernholm, Staffan (7 September 2010). "Herr: Ibra tvåmålsskytt i Malmö" [Men: "Ibra" scored two goals in Malmö]. svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). The Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
- ^ Wallisson, Larne (2011). "Helsingborg tog hem Supercupen 2011" [Helsingborg won Supercupen 2011]. svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). The Swedish Football Association. Archived from the original on 14 August 2011. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
- ^ Åkesson, Richard (12 October 2012). "Irak kan kvala i Malmö" [Iraq can play qualifiers in Malmö]. Sydsvenskan (in Swedish). Bonnier. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
- ^ Jaderup, Anders (17 April 2011). "Spretigt med Hoffmaestro" [Sprawling with Hoffmaestro]. Sydsvenskan (in Swedish). Bonnier. Archived from the original on 19 April 2011. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
- ^ Thörnkvist, Emma (19 April 2011). "Bad publiken sluta hoppa" [Asked audience to stop jumping]. Sydsvenskan (in Swedish). Bonnier. Archived from the original on 23 April 2011. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
- ^ "Holy Mass in Stadion, Malmö". vatican.va. The Holy See. 1 November 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
- ^ Dahlkvist, Jens (11 October 2012). "Brasilien showade i Malmö - krossade Irak med 6-0" [Brazil showed off in Malmö - crushed Iraq with 6-0]. Eurosport (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 15 October 2012. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
- ^ "Ibrahimović enjoys fairy-tale return". uefa.com. UEFA. 7 September 2010. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
- ^ "Malmö FF – Örgryte IS". svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). The Swedish Football Association. 13 April 2009. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
- ^ "Publikliga" (in Swedish). The Swedish Football Association. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
- ^ "Stålbyggnadspriset 2009 - Swedbank Stadion". sbi.se (in Swedish). Stålbyggnadsinstitutet. Archived from the original on 14 August 2010. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
- ^ "Hitta hit" [How to get here]. swedbankstadion.se (in Swedish). Swedbank Stadion. Archived from the original on 9 March 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
- ^ "Citytunneln har öppnat" [The city tunnel is now in operation]. malmo.se (in Swedish). Malmö municipality. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
- ^ "P-huset Stadion invigt" ["P-huset Stadion" initiated]. pmalmo.se (in Swedish). The parking authority of Malmö municipality. Archived from the original on 16 March 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
External links
- Official website
- Swedbank Stadion at the official website of Malmö FF
- 360 degree view of the stadium at the official website of Malmö FF
- Aerial pictures of the stadium
55°35′01.0″N 12°59′16.1″E / 55.583611°N 12.987806°E