Featured image credit: Rob Ridley
Warsaw’s PGE Narodowy stadium has been cleared to host football matches and concerts this year, although it has been recommended that its roof remain open after a defect was found on a part of its steel-rope structure last year.
In November, the stadium was forced to temporarily close after an inspection of its roof revealed the defect. Specialised tests were carried out on individual elements of the roof as part of a standard inspection, which revealed a structural defect on one of the steel-rope connectors.
The 58,000-seat stadium was due to host Poland’s pre-World Cup friendly match against Chile on November 16 but the fixture was relocated to the nearby Stadion Wojska Polskiego due to safety concerns. PGE Narodowy did reopen in December, with stadium operators confirming that all elements relieving and securing the defective element had been installed.
Yesterday (Monday), a press conference was held to confirm that PGE Narodowy will be able to host its full calendar of events in 2023. Experts have been working with the stadium operator since the defect was found last year, and the results of specialist research “clearly indicate” that the stadium is a safe place.
The stadium’s roof will be required to remain open while an audit into its structure is carried out. The audit is expected to take months and could last until the end of the year.
This year, the stadium is due to host concerts featuring the likes of Beyonce, Harry Styles, P!nk, The Weeknd, Imagine Dragons, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Depeche Mode. It will also host Poland’s qualifiers for UEFA Euro 2024, starting with the match against Albania on March 27.
PGE Narodowy opened ahead of UEFA Euro 2012, which Poland co-hosted alongside Ukraine. In October 2021, the stadium was rebranded in honour of Polish football legend Kazimierz Górski, who managed the national team during the 1970s.
Górski was named an official patron of PGE Narodowy, which has been sponsored by Polska Grupa Energetyczna since 2015. The official name of the stadium is PGE Narodowy im. Kazimierza Górskiego.
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