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Stadion Za Lužánkami
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Stadion Za Lužánkami is a closed stadium in Brno, Czech Republic. It was primarily used for football, and was the home ground of FC Zbrojovka Brno. It held up to 50,000 people.
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Location | Brno, Czech Republic |
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Coordinates | 49°12′45.686″N 16°36′41.784″E |
Owner | The city of Brno |
Capacity | 50,000 |
Field size | 105m x 68m |
Surface | Grass |
Opened | 1953 (1953) |
Closed | 2001 |
Tenants | |
FC Zbrojovka Brno (until 2001) |
The stadium was constructed between 1949 and 1953 and was the biggest stadium in Czechoslovakia during the 1960s and 1970s.[1] Za Lužánkami holds the record for the highest attendance in the Czech First League,[2] set in a match between Brno and Slavia Prague during the 1996–97 Czech First League season. It was closed in 2001 after 1. FC Brno moved to Městský fotbalový stadion Srbská.[3] The club was forced to move, since the stadium did not meet the football association and FIFA criteria.
Plans for a reconstruction of the stadium, whereby the team of FC Zbrojovka Brno would return, were made,[4] but in June 2012 it was announced that, due to financial concerns, the proposed reconstruction was on hold.[5]
The stadium fell into disrepair, with trees and bushes growing within it and homeless people living in the stands.[1] FC Zbrojovka Brno captain, Petr Švancara, took it upon himself to try and restore the stadium in order that he could play a farewell game at Za Lužánkami.[1] This effort expanded into a volunteer campaign, back by crowdfunding, to have the stadium ready to host a final game for Švancara. The project was a success, and on 27 June 2015 approximately 35,000 spectators watched two teams composed largely of former FC Zbrojovka Brno players play a match at Za Lužánkami.[1]
FC Zbrojovka Brno's youth team currently train near the stadium, which is rented out to supporters group Verime Zbrojovce, and plans have been unveiled for a £40 million overhaul.[1] However, it has since returned to its abandoned and overgrown state.