Huvepharma Arena

Huvepharma Arena (Bulgarian: Хювефарма Арена) is a multi-purpose stadium in Razgrad, Bulgaria. It's used for football matches and is the home ground of the local football club Ludogorets Razgrad. The stadium has a seating capacity of 10,422 spectators.[5]

Huvepharma Arena
The stadium before a UEFA Europa League game
Former namesDyanko Stefanov Stadium (1954–2011)
Ludogorets Arena (2011–2019)
LocationRazgrad, Bulgaria
Coordinates43°32′4.4″N 26°31′39.8″E
OwnerMunicipality of Razgrad
OperatorLudogorets Razgrad
Capacity10,422 (current)[1][2]
SurfaceGrass
Scoreboard9 x 6 m digital
Construction
Built1954[2]
Renovated25 September 2011[3]
Expanded2015, 2017, 2018
ArchitectArdist OOD, RB Green OOD[4]
Tenants
Ludogorets Razgrad (2011–)
Ludogorets Razgrad II (2015–2017)
Dunav Ruse (2016–2017)
Bulgaria national under-21 football team (2015–)
Website
www.ludogorets.com/bg/stadium/

History

The stadium was officially opened on 25 September 2011, with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and Bulgarian Football Union president Borislav Mihaylov present at the ceremony.[3]

Starting from August 2014, Ludogorets began a project to reconstruct the stadium and expand its capacity to 12,500, in order to accommodate European tournament matches.

The first stand to be reconstructed was officially unveiled on 15 May 2015, as Ludogorets clinched their fourth consecutive Bulgarian First League title in a 4-1 win against Lokomotiv Sofia.[6] The sector carries a capacity of 2,038[7] people and was named after Romanian defender Cosmin Moți in recognition of his performance during the 2014–15 UEFA Champions League play-off round second leg against Steaua București, when he replaced the sent-off goalkeeper Vladislav Stoyanov to save two penalty kicks and score one himself, qualifying his team to the group stage for the first time in the club's history.[8]

On 12 August 2017, the club inaugurated the newly modernized east stand before a league match against Vereya Stara Zagora.[9] The stand, which was built in just five months, added 3,500 seats to the stadium's capacity, bringing the total number up to 9,000 seats.[7] This allowed Ludogorets Arena to host Champions League and Europa League group stage matches for the first time ever, starting from the 2017-18 season onwards. Club officials later announced that they will build a copy of the 'Moți' stand on the north end next, before proceeding with construction of the main one.[7]

On 28 September 2017, the stadium hosted its first ever European competition group stage game, as Ludogorets defeated 1899 Hoffenheim 2-1 in a Group C Europa League fixture, with 6,155 fans in attendance.[10]

On 11 July 2018, Ludogorets officially opened the newly renovated north stand before their Champions League first round game against Crusaders FC. The sector added a further 2,208 seats to the stadium's capacity, raising it to 10,442.[1]

On 18 December 2019, it was announced that the stadium's name had been changed to Huvepharma Arena.[11]

Other tenants

Ludogorets Arena has hosted a number of other teams since its reopening in 2011. Between 2015 and 2017 it was home to Ludogorets' reserve team, Ludogorets Razgrad II, before they moved to the newly built 2,000-capacity Eagles' Nest located at the club's training centre, the Sport Center Ludogorets.

Following the promotion of Dunav Ruse to the First League in 2016, their Gradski Stadium had to be renovated to meet the licensing criteria of the Bulgarian Football Union. Starting from July 2016, Dunav played their home games at the Ludogorets Arena, until they returned to Ruse on 28 April 2017.[12][13]

National teams

On 8 September 2015, Ludogorets Arena hosted the Bulgaria national under-21 football team for the first time ever, as they defeated Luxembourg 3-0 in a Group 5 qualifier for the 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in front of a crowd of 2,200. As of March 2018 this remains the only under-21 game played in Razgrad.[14]

The stadium was host to the Bulgarian national football team for the first time on 23 March 2018, in a 0-1 friendly game loss against Bosnia and Herzegovina in front of 2,200 spectators.[15][16]

Attendance figures
As of 15 February 2020
SeasonLeague att.GamesAverageChangeCup att.GamesEuropean att.GamesTotal
attendance		Total gamesAverageNotes
2011–1256,370153,758--5,0001--61,370163,836First season in top division
2012–1341,560152,771–26.3%3,00014,000148,560172,856First season in European competitions
2013–1458,800193,095+11.7%8,190410,890277,880253,115
2014–1554,780163,424+10.6%11,520310,104276,404213,638
2015–1649,390172,905–15.2%005,120154,510183,028Moti stand opens, capacity increased to 7,700
2016–1736,980182,054–29.3%630113,759251,369212,446
2017–1834,490181,916–6.7%480144,671779,641263,063East stand opens, capacity increased to 9,000; first group stage European games
2018–1940,430182,246+17.2%7,100233,748782,013273,038North stand opens, capacity increased to 10,442
2019–2019,610111,783–0046,090765,700183,650
Total (2011–19)372,8001362,741--35,92013122,29222531,0121713,105

Notes:

  • The 2,038-capacity 'Moți' stand was opened in May 2015.
  • Ludogorets Razgrad II moved to the Eagles' Nest before the start of the 2017-18 Second League season.

References
  1. "С водосвет откриха най-новия сектор на "Лудогорец Арена"" (in Bulgarian). Darik News. 11 July 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  2. "Ludogorets Arena". Stadium DB. 3 November 2017.
  3. "Лудогорец откри луксозния си стадион (видео + галерия)" (in Bulgarian). Sportal.bg. 25 September 2011.
  4. "Ludogorets PFC Concept Presentation" (PDF). Ardist OOD. 2014.
  5. "Ludogorets Arena" (in Bulgarian). PFC Ludogorets Official Website. 3 November 2017.
  6. "Пълна доминация и впечатляващ рекорд! Лудогорец шампион за четвърти пореден път! (видео)" (in Bulgarian). Sportal.bg. 15 May 2015.
  7. "Bulgaria: Ludogorets open new grandstand". Stadium DB. 15 August 2017.
  8. "Сектор Б на "Лудогорец Арена" става трибуна "Моци", героят Козмин удря шампанското в един от багерите тази неделя" (in Bulgarian). topsport.bg. 29 August 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
  9. "Лудогорец откри сектор "В" - кметът на Разград: Всички искат да са на мое място (видео+снимки)" (in Bulgarian). Sportal.bg. 12 August 2017.
  10. "LUDOGORETS VS. HOFFENHEIM 2 - 1". Soccerway. 28 September 2017.
  11. "Стадион "Лудогорец Арена" вече ще се казва "Хювефарма Арена"" (in Bulgarian). PFC Ludogorets 1945. 18 December 2019.
  12. ""Дунав" се завърна в Русе със загуба" (in Bulgarian). Darik News. 28 April 2017.
  13. "БФС официализира завръщането на "Дунав" в Русе". (in Bulgarian) fcdunav.eu. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  14. "BULGARIA U21 VS. LUXEMBOURG U21 3 - 0". Soccerway. 8 September 2015.
  15. "Официално: България ще изиграе две контроли, едната ще бъде на "Лудогорец Арена"" (in Bulgarian). Sportal.bg. 10 February 2018.
  16. "BULGARIA VS. BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA 0 - 1". Soccerway. 23 March 2018.
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