Rebuilding Kyiv's historic stadium: What's next after Russia's destruction
Lokomotyv stadium in Kyiv has a long history (photo: collage by RBC-Ukraine)
In Kyiv, Lokomotyv Stadium, which turned 100 years old this year, will soon get a new life. After a Russian missile strike in January 2024 that destroyed the gym, locker rooms, and infrastructure, the arena is being prepared for complete reconstruction. What will the new arena look like, and where will the funding for its reconstruction come from?
100th anniversary: New chapter in stadium's history
The events marking the 100th anniversary of the arena symbolically launched a new chapter in the stadium's history. The first was the support from Paris.
Mayor Anne Hidalgo personally visited the stadium and initiated assistance for the restoration of the infrastructure.
After this, all teams of the "railwaymen" academy received new uniforms, professional equipment, souvenirs, and a modern bus.
In addition, part of the funds was directed toward installing air conditioning systems, medical support, and psychological assistance for children affected by the war or belonging to vulnerable groups.
Recently, a children's football tournament took place at the stadium. Its symbolic conclusion was a charity match between the Loko Media Team and the 4308 team, representatives of the legendary "Azov" brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine.
As part of this event, Lokomotyv's management and NGO 4308 leader Platon Osadchyi announced the start of official cooperation between the club and the unit.
Lokomotyv Academy received support from Europeans (photo: FC Lokomotyv)
What the renewed Lokomotyv Stadium will look like
Full reconstruction of the stadium will start this autumn. Thanks to a partnership with the Howard Buffett Foundation, the stadium will be modernized to the level of a facility capable of hosting matches of the Ukrainian First League.
The reconstruction project was created based on surveys and consultations with community representatives, like railway workers, coaches, parents, urbanists, fans, and architects.
What Lokomotyv Stadium will look like (project: Big CityLab + PUPA)
In the first stage, the football field will be completely renovated, stands will be built, new locker rooms, referee rooms, a cafe, a public park, and recreation areas will be constructed.
What Lokomotyv Stadium will look like (project: Big CityLab + PUPA)
It should be noted that construction is also ongoing at another sports facility in Chokolivka. It will help the teams to train and compete even during the active reconstruction of the main complex.
What Lokomotyv Stadium will look like (project: Big CityLab + PUPA)
What is known about FC Lokomotyv and its home stadium
Lokomotyv is the oldest football club in Kyiv. Its history began in 1919 under the name "Zaldor." The team received its current name in 1935.
The club's greatest achievement during the Soviet period was participation in the top division of the USSR championship in 1938; it also repeatedly became the champion of Kyiv.
In 1947, the professional club was disbanded but continued to exist at the amateur level. Recently, the club experienced a revival: in the 2023/24 season, Lokomotyv returned to professional football, debuting in Ukraine's Second League.
In 1926, Zaldor won the Kyiv championship (photo: Wikipedia)
Today, Lokomotyv is a large-scale academy with over 1,500 children, including more than 350 internally displaced persons.
The club's home arena was opened on August 2, 1925, as a sports ground for railway workers.
Located in Kyiv's Solomianskyi district, it has become a center for the development of not only football but also eight sports, nurturing dozens of Olympic, world, and European champions.
In 2022, shortly before the full-scale invasion, the stadium was renovated. It received artificial turf, lighting towers, and stands for 1,631 spectators. In January 2024, the arena suffered a direct enemy strike by Russia.
The article used information from the press service of FC Lokomotyv.
Earlier, we wrote about the 7 largest stadiums in the world.
