Atatürk Olympic Stadium facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Atatürk Olimpiyat Stadı

UEFA
Full name	Atatürk Olimpiyat Stadyumu
Location	Başakşehir, Istanbul, Turkey
Coordinates	41°04′28″N 28°45′57″E / 41.07444°N 28.76583°E / 41.07444; 28.76583
Public transit	Olimpiyat
Owner	Government of Turkey
Executive suites	34
Capacity	77,563 Capacity history 80,597 (2002–2005) 76,092 (2005–2019) 76,761 (2019–2020) 75,145 (2020–2021) 74,753 (2021–2022) 77,563 (2022–)
Record attendance	79,414 (Galatasaray–Olympiacos, 31 July 2002)
Field size	105 x 68 m
Surface	Grass
Scoreboard	Yes
Construction
Broke ground	28 November 1997
Built	1997–2002
Opened	31 July 2002; 23 years ago (2002-07-31)
Renovated	2005, 2020
Construction cost	$140 million ($228 million in 2022 dollars )
Architect	Michel Macary Aymeric Zublena
Tenants
Turkey national football team Galatasaray (2003–2004) İstanbul Başakşehir (2007–2014) Kasımpaşa (2007–2008) Beşiktaş (2013–2016) Fatih Karagümrük (2020–present)

The Atatürk Olympic Stadium is a huge sports stadium in Istanbul, Turkey. It is in the western part of the city, in a district called Başakşehir. This stadium is the biggest in Turkey and one of the largest outside Africa and Asia for track and field events.

The stadium is named after Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who was the first President and founder of Turkey. Building started in 1999 and finished in 2002. It was first planned for Turkey's try to host the 2008 Summer Olympics, but those games went to Beijing, China. The stadium cost about $140 million to build.

With seats for 77,563 people, it is a very large stadium. In 2004, UEFA (the group that runs European football) gave it a "5-star sports complex" rating. This means it can host big UEFA final matches. One famous game, the 2005 UEFA Champions League Final, was played here on May 25, 2005. The stadium also hosted the 2023 UEFA Champions League Final.

The stadium is also approved by the IAAF and IOC. This means it is a top place for track and field sports. Many European athletic events have taken place here.

Several football teams have used the Atatürk Olympic Stadium as their home field. These include Istanbul BB, Galatasaray, Kasımpaşa, Beşiktaş, and Fatih Karagümrük. They often played here when their own stadiums were being fixed or built.

Stadium Design and Features

The Atatürk Olympic Stadium was designed to be a world-class venue. It was part of Istanbul's plan to host the 2008 Olympic Games.

The stadium has two large steel roofs. The west roof is shaped like a crescent moon. These roofs were made by a company called Tekfen.

The stadium has many entrances and exits. There are 134 entrances and 148 exit gates. This design allows 80,000 people to leave safely in just 7.5 minutes if there is an emergency. There are also two smaller fields next to the main stadium. These are used for warm-ups and training. A tunnel connects them to the main stadium.

The stadium's design makes sure everyone has a great view. The sound system is very clear and loud, reaching 102 decibels. The lights are also very bright, making sure all areas of the stadium are well-lit.

Under the west roof, there is a large commercial center. It covers 42,200 square meters and has six floors.

Major Events and Renovations

Interior view of the stadium

Exterior view of the stadium

The Atatürk Olympic Stadium has hosted some very important football matches and has been updated over the years.

UEFA Champions League Finals
Season	Winners	Score	Runners-up	Attendance
2004–05	Liverpool	3-3	Milan	69,000
2022–23	Manchester City	1-0	Inter Milan	71,412

The 2005 UEFA Champions League Final

Before 2005, the stadium could hold over 80,000 people. For the 2005 UEFA Champions League Final, some seats were removed. These were seats where it was hard to see the whole field. This made the capacity 76,092.

This final match was between Liverpool from England and Milan from Italy. It took place on May 25, 2005. Many people call this game "The Miracle of Istanbul" because of how exciting it was.

The 2023 UEFA Champions League Final

The Atatürk Olympic Stadium was supposed to host the 2020 UEFA Champions League Final. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the game was moved to Lisbon, Portugal. It was then planned to host the 2021 UEFA Champions League Final, but again, it was moved because of the pandemic.

Finally, the stadium hosted the 2023 UEFA Champions League Final on June 10, 2023. This match was between Manchester City from England and Inter Milan from Italy. Manchester City won the game 1-0, earning their first-ever UEFA Champions League title.

Plans for UEFA Euro Tournaments

Turkey has often tried to host big football tournaments like the UEFA European Championship (Euro).

UEFA Euro 2016 Plans

For the UEFA Euro 2016 bid, there were plans to make the stadium even bigger. The idea was to increase its capacity to over 90,000 seats, all covered by a roof. The pitch would have been lowered to add more seats. More special areas for VIP guests and the media were also planned. However, France was chosen to host Euro 2016.

UEFA Euro 2024 Plans

For the UEFA Euro 2024 bid, Turkey planned to rebuild the stadium. The stands would have been moved closer to the football field, removing the athletics track. This would have made it a football-only stadium with a capacity of 92,208. A new Olympic stadium was planned for future Olympic bids. Germany was chosen to host Euro 2024.

UEFA Euro 2032 Plans

For the UEFA Euro 2032 tournament, Turkey and Italy made a joint bid. Turkey planned to renovate the Atatürk Olympic Stadium again. The idea was to bring the stands closer to the pitch, making it a football stadium with a capacity of 72,000. This stadium is expected to be one of ten Turkish venues for the tournament. The Euro 2032 tournament was awarded to Turkey along with Italy.

Concerts and Other Events

Besides sports, the stadium has also hosted big music concerts.

U2 360° Tour

On September 6, 2010, the famous Irish rock band U2 performed a sold-out concert here. Over 54,000 fans attended as part of their U2 360° Tour. The band Snow Patrol opened the show.

A panoramic view of Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul

Attendance Records

The Atatürk Olympic Stadium has seen some very large crowds for different events. Here are some of the highest attendance records:

See also

In Spanish: Estadio Olímpico Atatürk para niños

• List of football stadiums in Turkey
• Lists of stadiums