Major Project in Peril: Setback for Maksimir Reconstruction Investor

The Croatian national football team will face a crucial qualifying match for the 2024 European Championship against Armenia on Tuesday at 8:45 p.m. The match will be held at Maksimir, a stadium that is in dire need of renovation. Plans for the reconstruction of Maksimir have been in discussion for years, with talks of building a completely new stadium. However, it seems that the City of Zagreb, the state, and the Zagreb Archdiocese have finally reached an agreement. According to Sportske novosti, an agreement on the necessary land for the stadium’s construction in Maksimir is set to be signed in December. In exchange, the Archdiocese will receive new land in the city for building new churches.

Meanwhile, another important renovation project is underway at Kranjčevićeva street stadium. Currently home to HNL matches between Lokomotive and Rudeš, the stadium has a little over 5,000 seats. However, after renovation which is set to begin in spring, it will have between 10,000 and 12,000 seats. The newly renovated stadium in Kranjčevićeva would serve as Dinamo’s home during the construction of their new stadium in Maksimir. The budget for this project from City of Zagreb only includes three million euros which may not be enough for such a large-scale project.

Sportske novosti reports that French construction company Bouygues, known for building the Stade de France and Franjo Tuđman Airport in Zagreb are one of several candidates for the new stadium project in Maksimir. Bouygues is also rumored to be considering other options as potential investors but nothing has been confirmed yet.