Featured image credit: Andy Riise/CC BY-SA 3.0/Edited for size
Finnish Veikkausliiga football club IF Gnistan will play the remainder of the season at the Bolt Arena after its home venue, Mustapekka Areena, suffered major fire damage.
Gnistan, which is based in Helsinki, recently launched a fundraising campaign after a fire completely destroyed the Mustapekka Areena’s main stand, as well as the club’s storage facilities, dressing rooms and property inside.
The stadium will remain closed for the remainder of the season. Gnistan is playing its first-ever Veikkausliiga campaign following promotion last season and the club has now confirmed that it will spend the remainder of the 2024 season at Bolt Arena, home of cross-city rival HJK Helsinki.
Gnistan’s first home match at the 10,770-capacity stadium will be against VPS on August 4.
Club chief executive Ilkka Vanala said: “We are really pleased that we were able to resolve this matter now. Finding an optimal and quick solution for everyone in the middle of the football season was understandably very challenging, and required, and will continue to require, flexibility from all different parties. At this point, I would like to convey my thanks to HJK, Helsinki Rock and Roll Oy and the City of Helsinki for the quick promotion of things and good cooperation.
“In the end, there were two options for the team’s home venue for the rest of the season: Bolt Arena and Myymäki football stadium in Vantaa. The team has already played its matches in both places before, so the basic understanding of operating and playing in both stadiums was there. In addition to this, the club has spent the last few days investigating the booking status and availability of facilities important to operations, as well as current contracts and their possible restrictions on operations.”
Gnistan has invested nearly €1.5m (£1.3m/$1.6m) in stadium upgrades over the past two years. Mustapekka Areena had a capacity of around 2,200, but the addition of temporary seating last month allowed the club to set a new attendance record of 3,024 for the local derby against HJK Helsinki.
Gnistan chair Risto Murto described the fire as a “terrible tragedy” and said the cause of the incident is being investigated.
Share this