İzmir Atatürk Stadium

İzmir Atatürk Stadium is a multi-purpose venue located in the city of İzmir, Türkiye. It is named after the founder of the Republic of Türkiye, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Currently, Stadium primarily hosts football matches and is also used for athletics events from time to time.

History

İzmir Atatürk Stadium was constructed for the 1971 Mediterranean Games. Following a decision made in 1967, construction began on 3 March 1968 despite economic difficulties, with the design entrusted to architect architect Harbi Hotan. The foundation stone was laid by then Prime Minister Süleyman Demirel. The construction contract was awarded to Kemal Uzan. The stadium was completed in 1971 and underwent extensive renovation in 2005 in preparation for the World University Summer Games held in İzmir. After sustaining damage in the 2020 Aegean Sea earthquake, damage facility was closed to public use for safety reasons.

Features

With a capacity of 51,337, İzmir Atatürk Stadium is the second largest Olympic stadium in Türkiye and hosts the country’s largest athletics venue. The area designated for athletics is approximately 8,000 square metres, making it the second largest Olympic stadium in Türkiye for athletics. The Passolig system was removed in 2020, reducing its appeal for professional football matches.

Sporting Events

The stadium is particularly famous for the derby matches between İzmir’s historic clubs, Göztepe and Karşıyaka. The Karşıyaka-Göztepe derby played in 1981, which drew approximately 80,000 spectators and broke the world record for attendance in the second division, remains one of the stadium’s most memorable events. In the past, the stadium frequently hosted matches of the Türkiye national National football team, but it now rarely hosts international fixtures. The most recent professional match was played on 20 March 2022 between Bergama Belediyespor and Artvin Hopaspor. Today, the stadium primarily hosts amateur matches and games involving youth teams.

Cultural and Social Events

In addition to sporting events, İzmir Atatürk Stadium has hosted cultural gatherings. Among the most notable was a planned concert by Julio Iglesias in 1992, which was cancelled due to health issues. Several large-scale concerts featuring prominent famous artist artists and bands during the 1980s and 1990s have also left a lasting mark on the stadium’s history.

Current Status and Usage

Since professional football clubs have moved to newer stadiums, İzmir Atatürk Stadium now primarily serves amateur sports. The complex also includes the Halkapınar Sports Hall, the Seha Aksoy Athletics Track, two synthetic football fields, and the Athletics High Performance Center. Most recently, it hosted a match for Bergama Belediyespor in 2022.

İzmir Atatürk Stadium continues to host training and competitions across various disciplines aimed at developing young athletes. Regular maintenance and renovation works are carried out at the facility.