21.10.2025 21:21
The dream of a stadium for Karşıyaka, which has been nearly 30 years in the making, is becoming a reality. Significant developments have taken place for the new stadium project that will be built to replace the district stadium in Yalı, which was demolished in 2015, for Karşıyaka, İzmir's oldest sports club with a history of 113 years.
The dream of Karşıyaka Sports Club, which is in the TFF 3rd League Group 4, to have a stadium that has been ongoing for nearly 30 years is becoming a reality. The oldest sports club in İzmir, Karşıyaka, is experiencing a festive joy as the new stadium project to be built in place of the district stadium in Yalı, which was demolished in 2015, is being carried out in cooperation with the central government and local administration.
The stadium land was allocated to the municipality for construction upon the request of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality by the Ministry of Youth and Sports. It is expected that the project will be revised and put out to tender in the upcoming period. İzmir Metropolitan Municipality had allocated 250 million TL in the 2025 budget for the stadium named after Zübeyde Hanım, the mother of Atatürk, whose grave is in the district, for the fans of Karşıyaka.
Former Minister of Youth and Sports and İzmir Deputy Mehmet Muharrem Kasapoğlu, along with AK Party Secretary General Eyyüp Kadir İnan and AK Party İzmir Provincial Chairman Bilal Saygılı, visited İzmir Metropolitan Mayor Cemil Tugay in his office, where the final shape of the New Karşıyaka Stadium Construction and Joint Use Protocol prepared by the Ministry of Youth and Sports was given in line with the request of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality. A critical step was taken for the long-awaited Karşıyaka Stadium in İzmir. Consensus was reached on the new protocol for the project that Karşıyaka fans have been waiting for a long time. Mehmet Kasapoğlu, who stated that Karşıyaka will have its home, said, "This step, which will add value to İzmir, is one of the most concrete indicators of the cooperation between the central government and the local administration and constructive politics at the local level."
KASAPOĞLU: 'WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER' Former Minister of Youth and Sports, AK Party İzmir Deputy Dr. Mehmet Kasapoğlu, in a statement regarding the meeting about the construction of Karşıyaka Stadium, said, "We started this week by visiting İzmir Metropolitan Mayor Mr. Cemil Tugay. Together with our AK Party Secretary General and İzmir Deputy Eyyüp Kadir İnan, AK Party İzmir Provincial Chairman Bilal Saygılı, we discussed İzmir. İzmir is one of the most special cities in Turkey. The welfare and quality of life of our citizens are very valuable to all of us. We carry a significant responsibility with the votes of our İzmirli fellow citizens. With this responsibility, we brought the fundamental issues and future of our city to the table with common sense. We thank the mayor for this very productive meeting and hospitality," he said.
'THE FUTURE OF THIS CITY IN SPORTS IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT FOR US' Dr. Kasapoğlu continued his statement, saying, "The cooperation we are trying to establish is not specific to today. We will continue to implement the common sense we have developed so far from now on. Because the welfare, happiness, and the high standard we want İzmir to reach are very important for all of us. With this vision, we will continue to work hand in hand from now on. One of the important issues of today was the Karşıyaka Stadium. İzmir is a sports city with its brand clubs and legendary athletes. The future of this city in sports is also very important for us. We have done very valuable work so far and will continue to do so. You know that the Metropolitan Municipality had a request regarding the allocation of the Karşıyaka stadium area. With the contributions of our Minister of Youth and Sports, this process has come to an end. I would like to thank our Minister Mr. Osman Aşkın Bak for this. In the next step, our Metropolitan Municipality will manage the process regarding both the allocation and other necessary issues. Just as we have worked hand in hand to get to this point, our support and cooperation will continue in the same way in the future. I hope that the decisions made and this important step taken will be beneficial for İzmir, our sports community, and Karşıyaka," he expressed. Kasapoğlu also watched the Anadolu Efes match in the Basketball Super League among the fans in the stands.
CEMİL TUGAY: 'WE HAVE OVERCOME A SIGNIFICANT OBSTACLE' Thanking the AK Party delegation for their kind visit, İzmir Metropolitan Mayor Cemil Tugay expressed the happiness of overcoming a significant obstacle regarding the construction of the stadium. Tugay said, "We are experiencing the happiness of overcoming a very important obstacle in the Karşıyaka Stadium project, which we took the first steps during my term as the Mayor of Karşıyaka and have been persistently following since the day I became the Mayor of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality. The land allocation processes we have been waiting for a long time to start the construction process of the stadium have been completed. During the visit of AK Party Secretary General Mr. Eyyüp Kadir İnan, AK Party İzmir Deputy Mr. Mehmet Kasapoğlu, and AK Party İzmir Provincial Chairman Mr. Bilal Saygılı to our municipality, we discussed many issues on the agenda of our city along with this important development. I thank them for their constructive approaches during our discussions. Now it is time to provide Karşıyaka with a new stadium that it will be proud of. May it be beneficial for our city," he said.
HISTORICAL TURNING POINT The management of Karşıyaka Sports Club published a thank you message, stating that they are at a historical turning point. In the club's statement, it was said, "The stadium issue, which the Karşıyaka community has been waiting for with great patience and determination for many years, has reached a very important stage today. The Ministry of Youth and Sports has today allocated the area where Karşıyaka Stadium is located to İzmir Metropolitan Municipality. This decision is a historical turning point for Karşıyaka Sports Club and our large fan base. We believe that İzmir Metropolitan Municipality will start the construction process as soon as possible with the budget allocated for the stadium. Karşıyaka is now one step closer to turning its dream of having its own stadium into reality," it was stated.
The statement included the following expressions:
"We would like to thank İzmir Deputy and AK Party Secretary General Mr. Eyyüp Kadir İnan, Former Minister of Youth and Sports and İzmir Deputy Mehmet Muharrem Kasapoğlu, AK Party İzmir Provincial Chairman Mr. Bilal Saygılı, and Youth and Sports Provincial Director Mr. Murat Eskici for their support during this process, on behalf of Karşıyaka Sports Club."
The great Karşıyaka fans have been carrying on this struggle with honor, determination, and a strong sense of belonging for years. They have never lost their faith and support, not only in the stands but on every platform and under every condition. Every Karşıyakalı who has a heart for the green-red colors is the true architect of this history. With a modern, contemporary stadium that befits the history of Karşıyaka and its magnificent fans, it will once again be at home!
AZAT YEŞİL: 'WE ARE STARTING THE FACILITY MOBILIZATION' Last week, former president Azat Yeşil, who met with the Ministry of Youth and Sports regarding the infrastructure, training center, and sports school facilities planned to be built on the 100 acres allocated to the club in Mavişehir, stated that they are in a facility mobilization. Azat Yeşil said, "The expected allocations regarding the stadium land of our Karşıyaka have been realized. We thank the ministry officials who contributed to the allocation. We will support the municipality, which has allocated a budget for our club's stadium with limited resources, as much as we can. It is unacceptable that our club, established in 1912, the first established in Anatolia, taking its red from Turkishness and its green from Islam, does not have its own stadium. There will be a tender process from now on. We will be in close contact with our İzmir Metropolitan Municipality regarding this matter. We will request some revisions in the project for the interests of our club. The Metropolitan will then start the tender process. As a community, we are united in the matter of facilities. We will show significant will as a community to provide facilities for our youth to engage in sports," he stated.
İZVAK: 'THE ROAD TO THE FUTURE OF KARŞIYAKA PASSES THROUGH ITS OWN STADIUM' İzmir Sports Clubs Union Foundation (İZVAK), which has been providing great support for the new stadium project to be built in place of the old district stadium in Karşıyaka from the beginning and has contributed significantly to the positive outcomes of the lawsuits opened against the project, also made a statement. İZVAK President Ali Erten and the foundation's management said, "May it be for the best. The road to a secure future for our Karşıyaka passes through its own stadium, which will be the home of the fans. We have been saying this for years, and we are all fighting for it together. Our view as İZVAK is that it would be a more appropriate method for our state to construct the stadium as soon as possible and for the local process to be supported," he said.
'THERE IS A HALF-FINISHED JOB' The statement included the following remarks:
"However, the issue developed this way at the request of our municipality. We respectfully acknowledge the will of our state and institutions. The important thing is to eliminate the great grievance of KSK. As İZVAK, we have provided significant contributions at every stage of the project's development and in the legal process so far. We will continue to be supporters and followers of the next process. There is a job that has started but remains half-finished. After the details of the allocation protocol are announced, the roadmap will become clearer. As İZVAK, we are always ready for any duty that falls upon us. Now we all need to focus on the result and the goal, and we must assist and support our municipality that undertakes the construction."
27-YEAR DREAM Karşıyaka, which was the first club to bring up the dream of a new stadium in İzmir, has gone through a long process, despite the construction of many stadiums such as Göztepe, Alsancak, Bornova, Buca, and Tire during this period. The first stadium project in Yalı was drawn by the late Honorary President of Karşıyaka, Selçuk Yaşar, in 1998. Over the years, projects on the lands determined in Çiğli and Örnekköy did not materialize. The 40,000-seat amphitheater project in Örnekköy, which was even included in Turkey's candidacy file for the 2016 European Championship, was shelved when the championship was lost to France by a single vote.
In 2012, the club again brought up the new stadium to be built in place of the Karşıyaka District Stadium, and the Housing Development Administration (TOKİ) held two tenders in January 2014 and April 2017. Thanks to Karşıyaka's stadium, the Göztepe Gürsel Aksel Stadium, which was tendered twice at the same times, was completed and opened 5.5 years ago, and the Alsancak Mustafa Denizli Stadium was completed and opened 4 years ago. While the tenders for Karşıyaka Stadium were canceled due to lawsuits, the land of Karşıyaka's District Stadium, which was demolished and had foundation work done in 2015, along with the club building and tennis courts, has been idle for 10 years.
THERE IS NO SHORTAGE IN THE PROJECT The latest project drawn for Karşıyaka's new stadium covers a total area of 27,725 square meters, including the administrative buildings at the entrance. According to the final project, the stadium has a capacity of 15,670 people, with 7,140 seats, 6,100 standing, 380 guest, 1,160 VIP, 300 protocol, 360 boxes, and 180 press. The stadium project includes a club building, club museum, café, offices, club lounge, terrace areas, administrative areas, lobbies, and storage rooms.