LFF Stadium

LFF Stadium (Lithuanian Football Federation stadium, Lithuanian: LFF stadionas), formerly known as Vėtra Stadium, is a football stadium in Vilnius, Lithuania.[2] The stadium has a capacity of 5,067 people and was home of the Lithuanian national football team between 2012 and 2022.

LFF stadionas
Stadium in 2023
AddressLiepkalnio g. 13/2
LocationVilnius, Lithuania
Coordinates54°40′07″N 25°17′40″E
OwnerLithuanian Football Federation
Capacity5,067
SurfaceArtificial turf
Construction
Opened1957
Renovated2004, 2011–12, 2017, 2021
Tenants
FK Vėtra (2004–2010)
FK Žalgiris (2011–present)
FK Riteriai (2014–present)
Lithuania national football team (2005–2022)[1]

Overview

The stadium was originally built in 1957 and was first named Lokomotyvas.[3] It was rebuilt in 2004 and renamed to Vėtra Stadium as the home ground of FK Vėtra. In 2005 it hosted its first national team matches.

Following the bankruptcy of Vėtra in 2010, the stadium was taken over by the Lithuanian Football Federation and renamed again as the LFF Stadium. The stadium has undergone various improvements to meet the UEFA Category 3 stadium requirements. Following the renovation, the stadium also includes the new headquarters of the LFF, while the grass pitch was changed to an artificial turf.

In 2015 the stadium was renewed - the artificial turf was renewed with a new higher quality surface, and the stadium lighting system was updated.[4]

After a public backlash to an incident that occurred during the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying Group E match versus England, a specially created municipal investigative commission deemed the Southern stand structurally deficient and unfit to seat spectators.[5][6] While the stadium underwent minor improvements afterwards, including an installation of a new scoreboard before an international game against Malta in 2016,[7] the stand remained in use, infamously resulting in three fans sustaining injuries during the very same match when part of a floor in the stand cracked.[8] It was then renovated in 2017.[6] During the 2021 season, the Eastern stand's seating sections were also reinforced. The pitch was again relayed in April 2020 and June 2023.[9]

Since 2011, the stadium has been the main venue of a majority of the city’s football clubs – Žalgiris Vilnius and Riteriai play here, as well as numerous clubs from the lower divisions. Between 2012 and 2022, the ground was the home venue of the Lithuanian national football team. It also sometimes hosts local american football team Iron Wolves of the Baltic American Football League,[10] and it's also the venue of the Dancing Day of the Lithuanian Song Festival.[11]

The current capacity of the stadium is 5,067.

References
  1. "Futbolo rinktinė rengiasi grįžti į Kauną". Delfi (in Lithuanian). 20 March 2006. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  2. "LFF stadionas". lff.lt. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  3. Kalinauskas, Gediminas (2020). Lietuvos futbolo raida (1905–2018) (in Lithuanian). p. 401. ISBN 9786090800751.
  4. "Stadionas atviras tiek profesionalams, tiek mėgėjams" (in Lithuanian). Sportland magazine. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  5. Badonas, Marius (14 October 2015). "Akimirka iki tragedijos: per rungtynes su Anglija LFF stadiono tribūnose žiojėjo didžiulės skylės". 15min (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  6. Badonas, Marius (10 June 2017). "Raudonuoti neteks: istorijos su LFF stadiono skylėse įsmukusiais sirgaliais nepasikartos". 15min (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  7. "Į rinktinės varžybas atėję aistruoliai galės grožėtis malonia staigmena - švieslente" (in Lithuanian). Eurofootball.lt. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  8. "LFF atsiprašo žiūrovų dėl patirtų nemalonumų stadione" (in Lithuanian). Lithuanian Football Federation. 12 October 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  9. "LFF stadione keičiama danga" (in Lithuanian). Lietuvos futbolo federacija. 30 April 2020. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  10. "Pirmoji Lietuvos amerikietiško futbolo ekipa startuoja tarptautiniame turnyre". Delfi (in Lithuanian). 31 March 2017. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  11. "Šokių dienos vakariniame koncerte – 13 specialiai šiam renginiui sukurtų kūrinių". 15min.lt (in Lithuanian). 5 July 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
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