28.05.2026 21:51
95 percent of the work has been completed at the modern 51,000-capacity stadium in Ankara. Project manager Cem Saraçlar said, "Our goal is to complete the stadium project by the start of the 2026-2027 season."
The studies for the new stadium, built in the capital Ankara and set to be one of Turkey's most modern sports facilities, have reached the final stage.
AIMING TO BE READY FOR THE NEW SEASON
Built by TOKİ on behalf of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the 51,000-capacity stadium is targeted to be completed for the 2026-2027 season.
WORK CONTINUES INTENSIVELY
ASL Yıldızlar Joint Venture Ankara Stadium Project Manager Cem Saraçlar, in a statement to AA correspondent, said that work on the stadium began at the end of June 2022. Stating that the overall progress rate in construction has exceeded 90 percent, Saraçlar noted that interior activities and manufacturing have largely been completed. Stating that the main stadium structure is 95 percent complete, Cem Saraçlar added that landscaping work is continuing intensively.
Expressing that weather conditions have occasionally slowed down the work, Saraçlar noted the following:
"Most of the interior activities and manufacturing are complete. Our landscaping work continues rapidly. Our goal is to complete the stadium project by the beginning of the 2026-2027 season. 95 percent of the main structure is finished. All main components of our steel structure have been lifted to the roof and installed. We have approximately 17,000 tons of steel manufacturing. We have a steel structure and roof structure that ranks globally. Currently, the last small elements are being mounted on the stadium roof, and checks and paint touch-ups are being carried out. Colleagues with climbing sports certificates are making the final paint touch-ups on the roof."
Saraçlar stated that the membrane systems to be used for the roof covering have also started to be installed, and emphasized that engineering calculations are being carried out with great precision.
INSTALLATION OF RED-WHITE SEATS HAS BEGUN
Cem Saraçlar stated that the installation process for the stadium's tribune seats, designed in red and white colors, has begun, saying, "We have started the seat connections; nearly 50 percent of the seats have been manufactured and are currently on site. Hopefully, after the holiday, we will start seat installation quickly."
Saraçlar explained that the number of daily workers on site has sometimes reached 1,300 during the construction process, emphasizing the intense effort involved in the project.
Stating that the February 6, 2023 earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş also affected the project, but work continued as planned, Saraçlar said, "The originally planned spectator capacity of our project has been increased. Our project will have a spectator capacity of 51,000 upon opening."
UEFA'S DEMANDS WILL BE REFLECTED IN THE PROJECT
Cem Saraçlar stated that officials from the Turkish Football Federation and UEFA have also visited the stadium, saying, "UEFA shared some predictions and requests. We will hopefully fulfill all of those requests."
Emphasizing that the new stadium is designed as a large sports complex that will serve not only football matches but also many different disciplines, Saraçlar said, "Inside the structure, within 160,000 square meters of closed area, there are halls where training can be conducted in approximately 15 different sports branches. Training halls are being prepared for many different disciplines such as boxing, shooting, taekwondo, karate, ice hockey, and table tennis."
"WHEN WILL THE FIRST KICK-OFF HAPPEN?"
Cem Saraçlar stated that the decision regarding the stadium's name will be made by the Ministry of Youth and Sports after the handover process.
Regarding the stadium's architecture, Saraçlar said, "Our architect Bahadır Özkul was inspired by the patterns on a soccer ball while designing the structure. Additionally, the viewing comfort of our stadium is very high. There is a curve called the C-curve related to viewing comfort. The ability to see every corner of the field is available from every point in the stands. One of its most important features is that our roof structure sits on 8 main load-bearing pillars like a shell system without touching the main structure. This way, football fans will have a very clear viewing comfort from every area of the stands."
Saraçlar noted that the specially designed press tribune has a capacity of 1,400 people. Responding to the question about when the stadium will become operational, Cem Saraçlar answered, "All our plans are aimed at completing it for the 2026-2027 football season. Hopefully, we will bring football fans together in this stadium at the beginning of the season."