Sparta gets green light for new stadium on site of Prague's dilapidated Strahov

In a unanimous decision, the Czech Football Association has agreed to let the Sparta Prague football team build a new stadium at Prague-Strahov, replacing the dilapidated Evžen Rošický stadium currently standing in its place. The project, which will cost nearly CZK 1.8 billion, is set to begin construction in 2030 and be completed by 2035.

The decision was made during the association's general meeting, with no votes against and four delegates abstaining. Sparta Prague met all the required conditions and has offered to pay for the land over 30 years. 

Sparta currently plays its home matches at the Letná Stadium (also known as the epet ARENA), which has been used since 1917 and houses around 18,300 spectators.

"We will definitely have to proceed with the construction of a new stadium, because if we were to just rebuild and further modernize the current stadium, it no longer offers us opportunities to increase the capacity and comfort of visitors," said club representative Tomáš Křivda last year. "We are already running out of space,” he added.

According to the agreement, the new arena will have a capacity of 35,000 spectators, and Sparta Prague will be required to let the national football team play at least three matches a year. This comes after the Evžen Rošický stadium was deemed unfit for national team training due to its poor condition.

However, the Evžen Rošický stadium – adjacent to the Great Strahov Stadium, which has the highest capacity in the world – will continue to be used before construction begins: "Last year, the general meeting of the Czech Football Association decided that the premises should continue to be used for all types of sport," said an official from the association.

The new arena will benefit Sparta Prague, which won the Czech First League this season, and the national football team. The national team will have a modern, state-of-the-art facility in which to play. This is a much-needed upgrade for the team, as their current stadium at Prague-Letná is slowly becoming inadequate.

The new stadium will also have a significant impact on the sport in the country, as it will become the largest football stadium in the Czech Republic, surpassing the Fortuna Arena of rivals and neighbors Slavia Prague, which currently has a capacity of 19,370 spectators.