History and description

It is located in Kiev, capital of Ukraine. The stadium has a seating capacity of 44,912 spectators. The National Sports Complex Olimpiyskiy, also known as Kiev Olympic Stadium, is the Ukrainian national stadium and home of FC Dynamo Kiev. It was built in 1939 and renovated in 2007. The stadium has a seating capacity of 44,912 spectators. However, due to the Nazi invasion of the USSR on 22 June 1941 and its subsequent occupation, construction on the stadium was halted. It wasn't until a year later that work resumed and it was finally opened on 7 May 1942 as Stalingrad Stadium. The Olimpiyskiy Stadium, then still called Republic Stadium MS Krushchov, was originally planned to open on 22 June 1941. However, due to the Nazi invasion of the USSR on 22 June 1941 and its subsequent occupation, construction on the stadium was halted. Construction resumed one year later and was finally opened on 7 May 1942 as Stalingrad Stadium.

The opening match was originally scheduled between Dynamo Kiev and CBCA Moscow, but due to the German army invading Russia on the opening day, it had to be postponed.

A few months later, the Germans entered and occupied the city. Despite the harsh conditions, the stadium formally opened on 12 July 1942.

When the Germans retreated one year later, the stadium got heavily damaged and it took a year for the stadium to be repaired. On the 25 June 1944, it was reopened with the match that was originally planned to be played in 1941.

It was again enlarged for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. In 1966, the stadium was enlarged with a second tier to a capacity of over 100,000. Further renovations followed before the 1980 Moscow Olympics, during which the stadium hosted a series of matches in the football tournament. In 1984, the stadium was again enlarged for the Los Angeles Olympics.

In the 1990s, the stadium was known as Central Stadium. However, in 1996 it was renamed Olympic Stadium in recognition of the 1980 Olympics. Two years later, the stadium underwent a refurbishment which reduced its capacity to about 83,000 people.

Renovation work was required for the Olimpiyskiy Stadium in order to host the 2012 Euro final, which included the complete reconstruction of the first tier, the rebuilding of the entire West Stand, and the installation of a roof on the stadium previously uncovered.

The stadium hosted three group matches, a quarter-final, and the final between Spain and Italy during the Euro 2012 Championships.

Since Dynamo Kiev's inception in 1926, they had only used the Olimpiyskiy Stadium for official European cup matches. However, because of its smaller size, the Lobanovskyi Stadium was used for their league matches. After much deliberation, the club successfully moved into their new Olimpiyskiy Stadium on 4 March 2012 and played their first league match there against Arsenal Kiev (1-0).

NSC Olimpiyskiy has been selected to host the 2018 Champions League final.

(photos of the present NSC Olimpiyskiy below)

How to get to NSC Olimpiyskiy

The National Sports Center Olympic Stadium lies in central Kiev, slightly less than 3 kilometers east from Kiev's main railway station, and under 2 kilometers from the central Independence Square. The nearest metro stations are Olimpiyska (??. ??????????? ) on the blue line, and St. Palats Sportu (??. ????? ??????) on the green line. Both are 5-minute walks from the ground.

Alternatively, bus 69 and trolleybus 3 and 40 can be used to reach the stadium.

Address: Velyka Vasylkivska 55, Kiev, 03150

Eat, drink, and sleep near NSC Olimpiyskiy

There are many bars and cafés near the NSC Olimpiyskiy stadium, which makes it easy to eat and drink. Just north of the stadium is a area with numerous bars and cafés, while Khreschatyk Street, the main street in Kiev's city center, offers plenty of restaurants and shops. The area around the Olympic Stadium is filled with hotels, hostels, and apartment rentals. The large Rus Accord Hotel is located right next to the stadium and gets decent reviews. Toward the west of the stadium there are some cheaper hostels and a few apartment rental options.

Near the stadium, located on Khreschatyk Street, are some reasonable hotels such as the Nelly Hotel, Deluxe Hotel, and Royal Hotel de Paris. However, if you're looking for an upscale option, the Premier Palace Hotel is a better choice. Renting an apartment is generally a better value than staying in a hotel in Kiev.

For all hotels near the NSC Olimpiyskiy, please click here. The area further west toward the main railway station and botanical garden tends to be somewhat cheaper though. Click here to see the options.

Dynamo Kiev Tickets

Tickets for Dynamo matches can be bought online, at the box office at the NSC Olimpiyskiy, or at the offices of Lobanovskyi Stadium. Ticket prices range from 10 UAH for a seat at the lower-tier behind the goal to 250 UAH for a central seat at the main stand.

Relevant Internet links

The official website of FC Dynamo Kiev is fcdynamo.kiev.ua, while the official website of the NSC Olimpiyskiy is nsc-olimpiyskiy.com.ua. The website of the Kiev metro is metro.kiev.ua There was some trouble between both sets of supporters, but the stadium itself is well worth a visit.

There was some trouble between both sets of supporters, but that does not have anything to do with the stadium itself. It is well worth a visit.