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Lilleküla Stadium

Coordinates: 59°25′17″N 24°43′55″E / 59.42139°N 24.73194°E / 59.42139; 24.73194
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Lilleküla Stadium
A. Le Coq Arena
UEFA
Map
AddressJalgpalli 21
LocationTallinn, Estonia
Coordinates59°25′17″N 24°43′55″E / 59.42139°N 24.73194°E / 59.42139; 24.73194
OwnerEstonian Football Association
OperatorEstonian Football Association
Capacity14,336[1]
Field size105 by 68 metres (344 by 223 ft)[2]
Construction
Broke ground2000
Opened2 June 2001; 23 years ago (2001-06-02)
Expanded2016–2018
Construction cost131 million EEK (2002)
ArchitectHaldo Oravas
Tenants
FC Flora (2001–present)
FCI Levadia (2019–present)
Estonia national football team (2001–present)

The Lilleküla Stadium, known as A. Le Coq Arena for sponsorship reasons, is a football stadium in Tallinn, Estonia. It is the home ground of football clubs Flora and Levadia, and the Estonia national football team. With a capacity of 14,336, it is the largest stadium in Estonia.

Opened in 2001 and expanded in 2018, Lilleküla Stadium has hosted the 2018 UEFA Super Cup and the 2012 UEFA European U-19 Championship.

History

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Construction and opening

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The matter of building a national football stadium rose to Estonia's agenda in the second half of the 1990s, when it became evident that Kadriorg Stadium was not able to continue complying with international football standards. The stadium project was led by FC Flora and in July 1998, the club submitted a planning application to Tallinn City Council, requesting permission to build a new stadium on wasteland between railway lines in Kitseküla, close to the border with neighbouring Lilleküla.[3] Receiving the council's approval, Flora signed a 99-year lease on the estate and construction began in October 2000.[4] The stadium was designed by Estonian architect Haldo Oravas.

The construction of the Lilleküla Stadium was seen as a grand race against time, as the stadium had to be completed by June 2001 in order to avoid Estonia having to play its World Cup qualification home matches either in Finland or Latvia.[5] The media covered the state of the construction almost daily and the stadium received its permit on the day of Estonia's World Cup qualifying match against the Netherlands, with final seats being installed only hours before the kick-off.[5]

The stadium was officially opened on 2 June 2001, with a 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification match between Estonia and the Netherlands. The match saw Estonia's Andres Oper become the first player to score at the new stadium when he scored in the 65th minute, with the full-time result being a 4–2 victory for the Netherlands.

Lilleküla Stadium during Estonia friendly against Brazil in 2009

In January 2002, A. Le Coq bought the naming rights of the stadium. During the 2012 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, the stadium hosted six out of 15 tournament matches, including the final, which saw Spain defeat Greece 1–0.

In 2012, Flora completed the transfer ownership of the Lilleküla Football Complex, including Lilleküla Stadium, to the Estonian Football Association. The deal was later revealed to have been worth over €12 million.[6]

Lilleküla Stadium hosted the 2018 UEFA Super Cup match between Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid

Expansion and UEFA Super Cup

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El Derbi Madrileño brought a record 12,424 people onto the stands

In September 2016, it was announced that the stadium would host the 2018 UEFA Super Cup.[7][8] In preparation for the match, the stadium's capacity was increased from 10,340 to 14,336, with the total expansion cost of around €7 million.[9] The 2018 UEFA Super Cup match between the 2017–18 UEFA Champions League winners Real Madrid and the 2017–18 UEFA Europa League winners Atlético Madrid was held on 15 August 2018, with Atlético Madrid winning 4–2 in extra time.[10]

Lilleküla Football Complex

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Lilleküla Stadium is part of the Lilleküla Football Complex, which also includes two grass surface pitches, two artificial turf pitches of which one is the 1,198-seat Sportland Arena, and an indoor football hall named EJL Jalgpallihall.[1]

Concerts

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Aerosmith concert held at Lilleküla Stadium Arena in 2007

Aside from football and other sporting events, several concerts have been held at Lilleküla Stadium. Lenny Kravitz performed in 2005 and Aerosmith in 2007.[1] In 2023, the stadium hosted the concert of NOËP and in 2024, the concert of Max Korzh.

Attendances

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Tenants League season Home games Average attendance[11]
FC Flora 2024 18 694
FCI Levadia Tallinn 2024 18 713
FC Flora 2023 18 518
FCI Levadia Tallinn 2023 18 763
FC Flora 2022 18 509
FCI Levadia Tallinn 2022 18 489
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  • A. Le Coq Arena during December 2021
    A. Le Coq Arena during December 2021
  • Real Madrid vs. Atlético Madrid at A. Le Coq Arena
    Real Madrid vs. Atlético Madrid at A. Le Coq Arena
  • The stadium before Flora vs. Eintracht Frankfurt
    The stadium before Flora vs. Eintracht Frankfurt

References

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  1. ^ a b c "A. Le Coq Arena" (in Estonian). Estonian Football Association. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  2. ^ "A. Le Coq Arena staadion". Eesti spordiregister (in Estonian). Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  3. ^ "Prügimäest saab staadion" [Waste ground will become a stadium]. Postimees (in Estonian). 25 July 1998.
  4. ^ "FC Flora rajab Lillekülasse jalgpallistaadioni" [FC Flora will build a football stadium in Lilleküla]. Eesti Päevaleht (in Estonian). 19 October 2000.
  5. ^ a b Schwede, Indrek (10 October 2019). "RETRO! Kuidas valmis Lilleküla staadion? Jüri Mõis: „Armee ja jalgpall on riigile võrdse tähtsusega."" [RETRO! How was the Lilleküla stadium finished? Jüri Mõis: "The army and football are of equal importance to the country."]. Õhtuleht.
  6. ^ Roonemaa, Holger; Kalev, Matthias (26 October 2021). "Kustutatud laenud, tasumata intressid ja 12 miljonit sulas: saladokumendid paljastavad, kuidas Aivar Pohlak jalgpalliliidu rahaga FC Florat päästis" [Deleted loans, unpaid interest and 12 million in cash: secret documents reveal how Aivar Pohlak saved FC Flora with football association money]. Eesti Ekspress.
  7. ^ "Final of 2018 UEFA Super Cup to take place in Tallinn". ERR. 16 September 2016.
  8. ^ "Tallinn to stage 2018 UEFA Super Cup". UEFA.com. 8 August 2017.
  9. ^ "VIDEO I Ligi 7 miljonit eurot hiljem: jalgpalli tippsündmuseks valmistuv Lilleküla staadion on võimsa uuenduskuuri läbinud" [VIDEO I Nearly 7 million euros later: the Lilleküla stadium, which is preparing for the top football event, has undergone a powerful renovation]. Delfi Sport. 13 August 2018.
  10. ^ "Atlético win UEFA Super Cup in extra time". UEFA.com. 16 August 2018.
  11. ^ https://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn/nav/attnest.htm
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Preceded by UEFA Super Cup
Match venue
2018 		Succeeded by
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