Donbass Arena Facts for Kids

Donbass Arena is a famous football stadium located in the city of Donetsk, Ukraine. It is the home ground for the well-known football club, F.C. Shakhtar Donetsk. This amazing stadium can hold up to 51,504 people, making it the biggest club stadium in Ukraine. It's a place where many exciting football matches have been played!

What is Donbass Arena?
- When was it built?
- Key Features of the Stadium
A Home for Shakhtar Donetsk
- Important Matches and Events
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What is Donbass Arena?

The Donbass Arena is a modern sports venue built specifically for football. It's not just a place to watch games; it's also a symbol for the city of Donetsk and its passion for football. The stadium was designed to be very comfortable for fans and players alike, with great views of the pitch from every seat.

When was it built?

Construction of the Donbass Arena began in 2006. It took about three years to build this impressive stadium. It was officially opened on August 29, 2009, with a big celebration and a concert. This was a huge event for the city and for Ukrainian football.

Key Features of the Stadium

The Donbass Arena has many cool features that make it special:

Capacity: It can host over 51,000 fans, creating an incredible atmosphere during matches.
Design: The stadium has a unique, sleek design, often compared to a "flying saucer" or a "diamond" because of its shiny, curved roof.
Pitch: It has a high-quality natural grass pitch, perfect for professional football.
Facilities: Inside, you'll find everything a modern stadium needs, including changing rooms for players, media centers for journalists, and shops for fans to buy team merchandise.

A Home for Shakhtar Donetsk

The Donbass Arena became the proud home of F.C. Shakhtar Donetsk, one of Ukraine's top football clubs. Before this stadium, the team played at the Central Stadium Shakhtar. Moving to the Donbass Arena gave the club a world-class venue to host its matches, including games in big European competitions like the UEFA Champions League.

Important Matches and Events

The stadium has hosted many important football matches. It was one of the main venues for the UEFA Euro 2012 championship, which Ukraine co-hosted with Poland. During Euro 2012, several group stage matches, a quarter-final, and a semi-final were played at the Donbass Arena, bringing international attention to Donetsk.