Akhmat Arena is the largest football stadium in Grozny. It was built in 2011 and accommodates 30 and a half thousand fans. The football club "Terek" regularly holds home games on it.
Stadium construction
In 2004, funds were allocated from the federal budget to create the Akhmat Arena stadium. Grozny enthusiastically accepted this news, the project was promptly completed, and in 2006 work began.
The work was carried out for five years. They were conducted under the federal target program. The construction of the arena was completed in the spring of 2011.
The stadium bears the name of Akhmat Kadyrov, a Chechen politician and religious leader. The father of the current leader of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov.
Akhmat Kadyrov died tragically on May 9, 2004. The tragedy occurred on one of the stands, where honored guests, leaders of the republic and guests were located. Thousands of people gathered on the occasion of Victory Day. In the morning there was a terrorist attack. The explosion, along with Kadyrov, killed another 6 people, more than 50 were injured.
Stadium today
Today it is one of the largest and most modern sports complexes in the south of Russia. The construction was carried out in full compliance with all the requirements of FIFA and UEFA, therefore it is permissible to hold matches of any level on the field, including European cup games, meetings of the World and European Championships.
"Akhmat-arena" consists of two parts. Firstly, this is the western rostrum, which at the same time can be about 9 thousand fans. Secondly, the eastern stand, capable of accommodating up to 21 thousand football fans. It also provides special places for people with disabilities.
This is one of the safest stadiums in Russia. A modern video surveillance system is installed here, which includes more than 400 cameras.
Grand opening
The discovery turned out to be really grand for the stadium “Akhmat-arena”. Grozny hosted world football celebrities.
The Kavkaz team played in the first match, including Ramzan Kadyrov, as well as Nikita Isaev, legendary goalkeeper Rinat Dasayev, and the world team. Among world celebrities in Grozny came the Argentinean Diego Maradona, who became the head coach of this team. As players on the field went the Portuguese Luis Figo, Italians Franco Barezi, Alessandro Costacurta, Chilean Ivan Zamorano, Frenchman Jean-Pierre Papin, Englishman Robbie Fowler.
The first match, which saw the “Akhmat Arena”, ended with a big score. Team “Caucasus” won 5-2. The guests distinguished themselves Zamorano and Maradona. The “Caucasians” made a double Sadaev, the rest of the players distinguished themselves once.
Stadium today
Currently, the Akhmat-Arena is hosting matches of the Russian Premier League with the participation of the Grozny Terek.
The first official game at this stadium took place in May 2011. “Terek” defeated Perm “Amkar” with a score of 1-0.
In 2012, the stadium received an appropriate certificate confirming safety. At the end of the same year, the Grozny stadium was among the most visited. At that time, the average attendance at the matches of the Russian Premier League and the Cup of Russia was more than 19 and a half thousand spectators in one game.
With the opening of a new stadium, the Grozny Terek has still not been able to test it in European cups. Although the team has shown a good game in recent years and claims to be in the European competition zone. So far, the final status match held at the Akhmet-arena has become the final of the Russian Cup. In 2013, Moscow CSKA and Makhachkala Anzhi met in a decisive subdivision in Grozny. The winner was determined only in the penalty shoot-out. The cup went to the capital's football players.