Industry News

Cagliari to play at temporary arena while new stadium is built

Italian Serie A football club Cagliari has said that it will play its home matches at a temporary facility while work continues on its new stadium.

Yesterday (Wednesday), the club began work on the Sardegna Arena, a 16,000-capacity venue that will be erected in the car parks of the under-construction 21,000-seat Sant’Elia, the team’s new home that is due to open in two years’ time.

The Sardinia-based club said that the temporary facility will take just four months to construct and will be ready to host matches in time for the 2017-18 Serie A season, which is due to kick-off in August.

Cagliari will commit approximately €8m ($8.7m/£6.8m) to the project, which has also secured the backing of the local government.

The main structure for the Sardegna Arena will be made of steel and feature a main grandstand. The club added that the venue will create 150 temporary jobs for people in the local area.

Tommaso Giulini, owner and president of Cagliari, said: “It will take four months to build; we will work seven days a week, even at night, but I think those who will be involved will be happy to contribute to the goal of opening the stadium in time the first day of next season.”

Cagliari’s existing Stadio Comunale Sant’Elia staged England’s three group games against Ireland, Holland and Egypt at the Fifa World Cup in 1990.