Inside the Tehelné Pole Stadium

The greenest stadium in Europe. This is how Slovan Bratislava, the team currently at the bottom of the Champions League standings, describes Tehelné Pole, its home stadium, inaugurated in March 2019. It’s a next-generation facility, though not notable for architectural innovation. In fact, it aligns seamlessly with modern aesthetic standards: a rectangular stadium with a classic curved roof made of a white membrane, which allows light effects, softens the corners, and covers three of the four sides. The uncovered side, on the other hand, features an aluminum roof. A distinctive aesthetic feature is the tower nestled in one of the four corners, now used as office space with windows that offer direct views onto the field. The stadium stands on the same site where the original Tehelné Pole once stood, which closed in 2009 and was demolished in 2013, with just one difference: it was rotated 90 degrees to prevent the sun from being a problem for goalkeepers at sunset.

A stadium with 22,500 seats, all offering a 100% view of the field, according to Slovan Bratislava. The seats are all blue, but the alternating shades create an optical effect. Each section is connected to the others, divided into two tiers, with stands adjacent to the pitch. These features have enabled Tehelné Pole to receive UEFA 4 certification, the highest UEFA certification, allowing it to host a final of any UEFA competition. The stadium has also embraced technology in other ways, such as adopting a cashless policy: no cash is used within the stadium, with payments made using a card that also functions as a ticket. Additionally, it has installed AVIGILON, one of the most sophisticated facial recognition systems, which can track the movements of any person within the stadium.

But, as mentioned initially, it’s not the aesthetic aspect that makes Tehelné Pole a unique stadium. The key lies in its environmental policies. Specifically, 50% of its heating and cooling comes from renewable energy sources. Additionally, in summer, the heat generated from air conditioning is used to heat water, minimizing costs. Furthermore, the irrigation and restroom plumbing systems are powered by rainwater. Finally, as reported by Roberto Gotta in his article for Il Foglio in 2023: "The original contract with the energy provider locks in the price until 2039, and heating costs are 30 percent lower than those elsewhere". Put all these elements together, and you understand why it’s called Europe’s greenest stadium.