CSKA Sofia unveils new stadium plans

CSKA Sofia, Bulgaria’s most successful football team, has unveiled plans for the for the reconstruction of the Bulgarian Army Stadium in its centenary year.

The stadium, first opened in 1923, will be rebuilt as a UEFA Class IV venue with a view to hosting major matches.

Plans were unveiled by CSKA, Sports Properties Bulgarian Army and engineering company IPA, who gave technical details and information about the financing of the project and the potential benefits for the general public. However, no details of the upgraded stadium’s capacity, which is presently 23,000, were revealed.

Discussions over the rebuilding of the stadium have been taking place for almost two decades, with the venue having been reconstructed and redeveloped on several occasions over the last 100 years. A number of plans have been proposed over the years for venues with capacities ranging from 15,000 to 25,000.

Filip Filipov, executive director of CSKA, said: “I am personally very impressed and excited by the presentation of CSKA’s new home. I am impressed by the sheer volume and quality of work that has been done by the IPA team.

“I am excited because my personal dream, the dream of many CSKA fans, is finally becoming a reality and we will have a unique stadium where fans will be able to cheer for their favourite team. I can unabashedly state that this will be the most modern stadium in the country.”

The reconstructed stadium will have a modern look which respects the surrounding park environment. Traffic management will be improved around Borisova Garden to make the site more attractive for pedestrians and improve the fan experience.

The club said a new facade cladding with an organic shape, will contribute to improving the visual perception of the facility as well as its acoustics.

Bulgarian Army Stadium will be covered with a visor made of materials that ensure optimal natural sunlight on the field, while high-tech lighting, sound system and multiple video screens are envisaged. An innovative heating system on the field will allow matches to be held throughout the year.

Tsvetan Petrov, manager of IPA, said: “We are proud to work on this project. This is one of the few projects in which no conceptual restrictions were imposed on us, thus we had the opportunity to fully develop our imagination and maximally invest technologies and good ideas, of course, respecting all regulatory requirements and the wishes of CSKA partners.

“Our overall direction during the design, both for us and the management of CSKA, was tied to creating a new home for the fans of the team, in which they would feel as good as possible.”