Main arena

The main arena of the “Sheriff” sports complex started functioning on July, 2002. This sports construction was projected and built with an account of all up-to-date FIFA and UEFA requirements and technical recommendations on football stadiums building and modernization, that complex inspection, headed by UEFA inspector, Mr. Vertongen, has confirmed.

According to up-to-date UEFA recommendations the playing ground has a size of 120 to 80 meters and covered with natural grass under which there is an effective drainage system. This ground size is not UEFA requirements yet, there are few grounds of such size in the world. Nevertheless, the decision to come to a new standard in order to keep step with advanced football Europe has been made.

The football ground has an automated watering system and equipped with underground heating system. It gives a possibility to bring a grass into suitable condition for any match day during an autumn-winter period. On the main arena football competitions of republican and international levels are being held, in which teams from Europe, Baltic and CIS countries took place.

The playing ground illumination is carrying out from canopies of western and eastern tribunes and operates in 4 modes: 200, 400, 800 and 1600 lux. The power system of the stadium passes on to a reserve power automatically, and, if necessary, – to autonomous mode, if main power source is cut off.

The main arena is equipped with up-to-date sound equipment from the well-known German “Electro Voice”, that allows creating clear sound effect, pointed on tribunes. All conditions for TV-live broadcasting matches at the stadium are met with, according to UEFA requirements.

The stadium is intended for 13300 spectator seats. All tribunes are equipped with canopies protecting spectators from bad weather and convenient passages to spectator seats. On tribunes there are individual metal tip-up seats. There are buffets and lavatories for spectators, including persons with limited abilities, in under tribune premises.

At the western tribune there are big and small conference-halls, mass-media and press photographers offices, commentator cabins and positions, the box for the press and closed VIP-boxes, which are also on the eastern tribune.

The stadium has up-to-date dressing-rooms for players and referees (including women) meeting all up-to-date UEFA requirements. Dressing-rooms of teams (visiting and home) include massage rooms, lavatories, shower cubicles and intended for 30 persons each.

Above the southern tribune up-to-date colorful scoreboard with total area of 48 square meters from the leading European manufacturer “Tecno Vision” is mounted. Scoreboard possibilities allow informing spectators about lineups, current match score, viewing replays of impressive playing moments, etc. The stadium TV system allows broadcasting matches live on the scoreboard.

Around the arena there are lawns with evergreen grass, parking and convenient control posts through which spectators come to the stadium directly.

The European Football Union has renewed regulations about stadium infrastructure (version 2010 – 2011). In this connection the scale reconstruction of the main arena of the “Sheriff” sports complex began on 2011. A complete changing of the football ground and its widening, an increasing of heating and drainage zones, new seats for reserves and trainer’s staff, renewed tunnel for players’ exit to the ground from under tribune premises assist to game level rising on the main arena of the sports complex.

The reconstruction of tribunes, their equipping with a sector for persons with limited abilities and changing seats on VIP-box for more comfortable ones allow improving conditions of viewing matches for spectators. The re-equipment of central entrances of both tribunes, building of so-called “hospitality area”, changing of all equipment of the stadium for modern standards together with other changes allow the main arena of the “Sheriff” sports complex to pretend to fourth, the highest elite UEFA category.

The reconstruction of the main arena is planned to be ended on 2011.