Atatürk Olympic Stadium: Turkey
Atatürk Olympic Stadium From The Air
The Atatürk Olimpiyat Stadı, better known as the Atatürk Stadium, is located in the İkitelli district of Istanbul. It is the largest stadium in Turkey in terms of capacity and is the country’s premier football ground. Named in honour of the Turkish field marshal Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the stadium boasts a capacity of 76,761 and was granted the status of being a 5-star sporting complex by UEFA in 2004.
That meant that the ground could be used for major UEFA events, taking on the honour of being the host venue for the Champions League final in 2005. That would have been impressive enough in and of itself, but when Liverpool came back from 3-0 down against AC Milan to lift the title in a match considered to be the greatest ever in the competition’s history, the Atatürk found its place cemented in European Cup history.
Stats
| Atatürk Olympic Stadium Stats | |
|---|---|
| Year Opened | 2002 |
| Capacity | 76761 |
| Average Attendance | 64831 |
| Record Attendance | 79414 (Galatasaray v Olympiacos (2002)) |
| Pitch Size | 105 x 68 (7140) |
| Clubs Hosted | Turkey national football team, Galatasaray , İstanbul Başakşehir, Kasımpaşa, Beşiktaş |
| First Fixture | Unknown |
| Turkey Stats | |
|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1923 |
| Nickname | Ay-Yıldızlılar (The Crescent-Stars) |
| Rivals | Greece, Austria, Croatia |
| Previous Stadiums | Konya Büyükşehir Stadium |
| Kit | Red (Home) / White (Away) |
| Team Owner | Turkish Football Federation |
| Record Goalscorer | Hakan Şükür (51) |
| Record Appearances | Rüştü Reçber (120) |
Atatürk Olympic Stadium Photos
Ultraslansi [CC BY-SA 3.0]
Myrat [CC BY-SA 3.0]
Jprw [CC BY-SA 3.0]
Atatürk Olympic Stadium Seating Plan and Where to Sit
The Atatürk Stadium is built in a bowl style, with the lower section offering a tier of uninterrupted seating.
The North and South Tribunes stand at either end of the pitch and behind the goals, whilst the West and East Tribunes essentially run alongside the edges of the pitch. These side Tribunes also boast additional tiers, mainly comprising of hospitality section. There are two in the West Tribune and one in the East Tribune.
Turkey Ticket Prices
Ticket prices will vary depending on the game that’s being played. The various competitions will cost different amounts from each other, with the World Cup and European Championship being the most pricey.
How To Get Turkey Tickets
When you’re looking at buying tickets for an international competition then the best thing to do is to get in touch with either the competition’s organiser or the Football Association of the national side that you’d like to see play. Sometimes it’s possible to get tickets from the stadium itself but that’s one really for friendlies or other unpopular matches.
Where to Buy
Getting To Atatürk Olympic Stadium
Train – Let’s be honest, given a train journey from London to Istanbul would take you via France, Germany, Hungary and Romania, it’s unlikely that that’s the option you’ll plump for when looking at travel. Once you’ve reached the city, however, you might want to use the Metro to find the ground and if that’s the case then you’ll be wanting to head to Olimpiyat Parki. That’s on the blue M3 line, which can be reached by taking the M1b line from the European side of the city.
Bus – Clubs that are involved in major European matches in the Turkish city often arrange buses for their supporters in conjunction with the Turkish authorities. This is the safest way to travel and you’ll be able to find out more about it by looking at the club’s social media channels nearer the time.
Car – The Atatürk Stadium is located just off the E80, which runs off the O-3 from the centre of the city.
By Air – Obviously the majority of people travelling from England to watch a match at the Atatürk will be flying over to Turkey. If that’s you then you’ll want to be aiming for Istanbul Atatürk Airport, which is more convenient for the stadium than the city centre. There are then express buses and metro options for you to make it into the centre of town.
Taxi – A taxi will taker around half an hour to complete its journey on a quiet day, though it’s worth bearing in mind that on the day of a big match the traffic will be extremely heavy. The journey should cost you around 85₺, which is about £10.
Parking Near Atatürk Olympic Stadium
There are spaces for more than 6,000 cars at the stadium, but don’t be expecting to be able to park there unless you’ve spoken to the stadium ahead of time.
Useful Resources
Atatürk Olympic Stadium Hotels
Qua Hotel - £30+
Hampton by Hilton Istanbul Kayasehir - £50+
Centro Westside by Rotana - £70+
Pubs and Bars Near Atatürk Olympic Stadium
Balkon Cafe Bar
The Junction Pub
Mateo Cafe & Bar
Facilities
In amongst UEFA’s numerous requirements of a 5-star venue isn’t just the fact that their members get to enjoy all of the trappings of hospitality suites but also that it’s a pleasure to attend matches there for the regular supporter.
From swish and shiny toilets through to the bars and eating areas being top-class, there’s plenty of be impressed by at the Atatürk.
Hospitality
One of UEFA’s chief requirements when it comes to awarding their stadiums with 5 stars is the ability of their members to enjoy all of the trappings that come with having the ability to hang out in the hospitality sections of the grounds.
With that in mind, then, the Atatürk offers 36 private lodges that are equipped with a bar and catering area. Skyboxes are also on offer, as well as lounge areas for those that are seated in one of the premium seats on offer throughout the stadium.
Private Hire
As with most football grounds that have the likes of private boxes and hospitality lounges, there is the ability to hire out the Atatürk if you’ve got an event that you’d like to host there. We can’t tell you loads about that, though, so you might want to get in touch with the stadium directly to find out more.
Stadium Tours & Museum
At the time of writing it’s not possible to do a tour of the Atatürk, but obviously if that changes then we’ll let you know.
About Turkey
The Turkey national team took to the pitch for the first time in 1923 when they drew 2-2 against Romania. The following year the team played its first truly competitive match when it took part in the Summer Olympics, receiving a rather humiliating 5-2 loss to Czechoslovakia. They beat Syria 7-0 in order to qualify for the 1950 World Cup, but they were unable to take part in it because of financial problems. Instead the nation got its World Cup debut four years later, being drawn in a group with Hungary and West Germany.
The Turkish national team has yet to win a major tournament, though they’ve enjoyed a couple of near misses. In 2002, for example, they finished in third place in the World Cup that was hosted jointly by Japan and South Korea. Third place is also Turkey’s best finish in the European Championship to date, coincidentally managing that at a tournament that had joint hosts when Austria and Switzerland had the honour in 2008. Turkey have numerous rivals in the game, with the most obvious being Croatia and Greece. Indeed, the nation’s rivalry with Greece is considered to be one of the biggest in world football.
Atatürk Olympic Stadium History
The Atatürk Stadium is relatively young by Turkish standards, with construction having got underway in 1997 before being opened five years later. It was part of Turkey’s ultimately doomed bid to host the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, which they eventually missed out on to Beijing.
The construction costs sat at around $140 million and when it first opened it boasted 80,597 seats. Both the International Association of Athletics Federations and the International Olympic Committee have certified the venue as being a first-class one for the hosting of track and field events, but it’s best known to most as being a football venue. Galatasaray played their home matches there for the 2003-2004 season because their own ground was being renovated, though no team calls it their permanent home at the time of writing.
Who knows what might happen at the Atatürk Stadium in the future, but whatever comes next it’s unlikely to rival the goings on during the 2005 Champions League final. Liverpool were in the final of the competition for the first time since the Heysel Stadium Disaster in 1985, playing Italian club AC Milan.
The Italians, managed by Carlo Ancelotti, took a 3-0 lead in the first-half and many thought the tie was over as a contest; after all, Italian clubs are known for their defending. Instead, Rafa Benitez’s reds scored three goals in 6 minutes to draw the tie level before going on to win on penalties. The match is known as the Miracle of Istanbul and is widely considered to be the best ever played in the tournament. Little wonder, then, that so many Liverpool supporters think of the Atatürk as the Turkish Anfield!
Future Developments
At the time of writing, the Atatürk is very much considered to be a multi-purpose venue, thanks in no small part to the athletics track that runs around the edge of the pitch. It is hoped that the ground will be used in the 2024 European Championships, with the Turkish Football Federation planning to rebuild the stadium ahead of that.