16.02.2026 20:52
The New Ankara Stadium, built in Ankara, will open at the beginning of the 2026-2027 season as Turkey's third-largest stadium, along with athletics and tennis courts, as well as training halls for 13 different sports. This stadium will have a capacity of 51,050 spectators, making it the third-largest stadium in Turkey.
The New Ankara Stadium, with a capacity of 51,000 spectators, will be one of Turkey's third largest and most modern stadiums, serving 13 different sports branches, and is being developed as a sports campus that will operate 24/7, aiming to be ready for the start of the 2026-2027 season.
IT WILL BE THE THIRD LARGEST STADIUM IN TURKEY
Located in the center of Ankara, rising on the site of the former 19 Mayıs Stadium, the New Ankara Stadium, which is approximately 80% completed, will also include an athletics track and building, a tennis court and building, as well as training halls for wrestling, judo, karate, taekwondo, boxing, archery, shooting, fencing, table tennis, curling, muay thai, and kickboxing. The facility is preparing to host its first match at the beginning of the 2026-2027 season as Turkey's third largest stadium equipped with the latest technological facilities.
Project Assistant Manager Aygün Akar, who provided information about the stadium built by TOKİ on behalf of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, explained the works to AA reporter.
Akar recalled that the first excavation was made in June 2022, stating that earthquake resistance and safety were planned at the highest level. He mentioned that approximately 450,000 cubic meters of excavation have been removed so far, and 5,500 fore piles have been driven to a depth of 30 meters under the stadium, and that these areas have been reinforced using the jet grout (earthquake resistance) method, adding that the covered stadium structure of 160,000 square meters has been largely completed.
'THE INDOOR HIGH JUMP HALL WILL BE THE FIRST IN TURKEY'
Akar stated that the total construction area of the campus is 207,928 square meters, of which 166,209 square meters is the stadium building, and 41,000 square meters is allocated for athletics and other branches. He emphasized that there will be training and conference halls, educational areas, a museum, and store sections for 13 different branches in the campus, and noted: "The indoor high jump hall will be the first in Turkey. Our athletes will be able to practice these branches uninterruptedly throughout the year. Initially, the areas for branches such as wrestling, table tennis, dance, fencing, shooting, archery, boxing, karate, taekwondo, judo, and kickboxing have been clarified. Additionally, there will be 16 training halls. This place will not just be an area for matches on weekends, but will become a sports campus that operates 24/7."
'WITH A CAPACITY OF 51,050 SPECTATORS'
Akar explained that the stadium has pioneering features worldwide, stating, "With a capacity of 51,050 spectators, it will be Turkey's third largest stadium. We have 17,000 tons of steel production on it. The longest span of this steel is 285 meters, and it is recognized as the 'third largest single-piece beam span' in the world. Additionally, we are covering an area of 60,000 square meters with a membrane on the roof. Except for the grass field in the middle, the roof will be completely closed. We can think of the structure as a kind of umbrella."
Akar also drew attention to the proximity of the spectators to the field, continuing his remarks as follows:
"Thanks to the positioning of the athletics field outside the stadium, the distance of the stands to the grass area will be 6 meters. This will create a strong atmosphere. We can say that we are at the final stages of the construction. Our seat production will start soon, and we have begun the groundwork for the field, and we will complete it in time for the 2026-2027 season."
'THOUSAND PEOPLE WORKING, A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF OUR EMPLOYEES ARE WOMEN'
Recalling that the stadium is being built by TOKİ, Akar stated, "An average of 1,000 people are working on this prestigious construction of TOKİ, and compared to other constructions, we have a significant number of female employees. More than 50 giant cranes are working here, the largest of which is 1,600 tons, and thankfully, we have not experienced any accidents so far. Hopefully, there will be none in the future; we place great importance on occupational health and safety. We are very meticulous about this."
Akar emphasized that it will be a stadium that everyone will admire, stating:
"The press box will be located on the upper floor, both indoors and outdoors, with a capacity of 1,417 seats for the press. Everyone will be very impressed by the roof structure and ambiance. The stadium will also be open to all main arteries in terms of transportation. There is a high-speed train line, a metro station, and a national garden right next to us. It will be one of the easiest stadiums to access. All residents of Ankara will be able to benefit from it 24/7, and it will be opened to service in about 6 months. This place will also be a sports campus with areas for citizens to visit."