Atatürk Olympic Stadium (Istanbul)

The Ataturk Olympic Stadium located in İkitelli, a district in the western outskirts of Istanbul, is the largest-capacity stadium of Turkey. The stadium is named after Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder and first President of the Republic of Turkey. Its construction began in 1999 and was completed in 2002. It was built for Turkey’s failed bid for the 2008 Olympic Games that were ultimately awarded to Beijing. It cost about US$140 million.

General information

Official website: http://www.ataturkolimpiyatstadi.gov.tr/eng/

Arena capacity: 76,761 spectators

Address: Ziya Gökalp Mah., Olimpiyat Stadı Yolu No:1, 34490 İkitelli/Başakşehir/İstanbul, Turkey

GPS coordinates for the navigator: 41.0745° N, 28.7657° E

Year of construction: 1997-2002

Construction cost: $195 million

Field: grass lawn with dimensions of 105 x 68 m

Seating plan of Atatürk Olympic Stadium

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.

For the Europa League match between Besiktas and Liverpool FC on the 26th February 2015 away fans were housed within the western side of the south-stand. Entering the stadium via Gate R, it appears that the away supporters were allocated tickets within section 349A with a buffer zone created either side of them and the home supporters.

When choosing a place in the stadium, use the Atatürk Olympic Stadium scheme above.

Where to buy tickets?

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 organizer 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.

How to get there?

Metro

The Stadium is now served by its own metro line stop known as “Olimpiyat Parki”, however for many years this wasn’t the case which made travelling to the ground even more arduous.

Located on the M3 Line (the blue one), it forks out from Ikitelli Sanayi to become the last station on the left hand branch of the line, and can be boarded from Kirazli station where the M3 begins.

Kirazli is also connected to the M1b line which has decent links to the European side of Istanbul and the city centre.

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.

Taxi

A taxi will take 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 £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.

Atatürk Olympic Stadium Hotels

Qua Hotel — £30+

Mahmutbey Mh. Peyami Safa Cd. No:25 Bagcilar Istanbul

There are very few hotels located all that close to the stadium itself, so you’re best moving slightly further afield if you want to find yourself somewhere to stay. The Qua Hotel is located in the Bagcilar district and offers a full-service spa complete with an indoor pool.

There’s also free Wi-Fi in the public areas and a bar and lounge. Given that there are more than 150 rooms, it’s fair to say that you’ll be able to get somewhere to stay here if you’re quick enough off the mark. Don’t be surprised if the prices go up when the match draws closer, though.

Hampton by Hilton Istanbul Kayasehir — £50+

Kayabasi Mah. Sehit Mustafa Bozoklu Cad. No:5/1, Basaksehir Istanbul

Sometimes when you’re abroad in a far foreign land the best thing that you can do is to stay at a chain hotel where you know the quality will be decent. That’s exactly what the Hampton by Hilton offers, complete with a breakfast that’s included in the cost of your stay.

Public areas have Wi-Fi, so you’ll be able to get onto the internet if you need to for some reason, with the hotel being quite well business-orientated. The hotel was given a renovation in 2014, so the finish and look to the place should be nicer than you’ll find elsewhere.

Centro Westside by Rotana — £70+

Mahmutbey Mah Tasocagi Yolu Cd No 39/c Bagcilar Istanbul TR

The hotel boasts a coffee shop, a deli and a restaurant, so there are options aplenty when it comes to grabbing something to eat. You’ll also be able to get a drink and have a relax in the hotel’s bar. If you’re there on business then take advantage of the business centre and the associated six meeting rooms.

Self-parking is available on-site, whilst the Wi-Fi is free to use. There’s also an indoor pool within the health club, so if you have a few beers and overdo it then you can make up for it in the morning!

Pubs & Bars Near Atatürk Olympic Stadium

Balkon Cafe Bar

Asmalı Mescit Mahallesi, Şehbender Sk. No:5, 34430 Beyoğlu/İstanbul

There aren’t any bars at the stadium, so you’re best off having a few drinks in the centre of Turkey before heading out to the ground ahead of the match. If that’s your plan then you’d do a lot worse in terms of venue than the Balkon Cafe Bar, which is a rooftop venue that offers amazing views over the city. You can have a few drinks whilst you chow down some delicious food, including the likes of burgers and pizzas as well as the usual Turkish offerings.

The Junction Pub

Asmalı Mescit Mahallesi, Oteller Sk. No:1, 34430 Beyoğlu/İstanbul

At the centre of Taksim and Beyoğlu is the appropriately named The Junction Pub, which has been open and serving since 1996. It’s right next to a Metro station, so you’ll be able to get around relatively easily after you’ve finished your revelry. If you want to grab something to eat then this is the place to do it, with a young staff working in the kitchen that are constantly trying to reinvent themselves and offer guests something scrummy to eat. It’s an international bar, so don’t worry if your Turkish isn’t tip-top.

Mateo Cafe & Bar

Evliya Çelebi Mahallesi, Cezayir Sok. No:5, 34430 Beyoğlu/İstanbul

Another bar that welcomes international supporters is the Mateo Cafe & Bar, located not far from the river in the centre of Istanbul itself. A rather more intimate setting than the other two locations on the list, expect to find yourself enjoying tasty local dishes and cocktails or beers if you head here. Live music is not uncommon and there’s a rack of spirits that you’ll be able to choose from if you feel a bit full after eating.

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.

Design and construction

Istanbul Atatürk Olympic Stadium was originally conceived for the city’s 2008 Olympic Games bid.

The stadium’s two steel roofs (weighing 2,800 t and 1,300 t) were produced by Tekfen’s Steel Structure Fabrication Plant in Ceyhan, Adana. The west roof, designed in the form of a crescent and principally composed of a 1,000 t main beam called mega-truss, is supported by two reinforced concrete shafts with 196 m span.

With its 134 entrances and 148 exit gates, the Olympic Stadium allows 80,000 spectators to evacuate within 7.5 minutes, in case of an emergency. Two annex fields (for warm up/training purposes) are connected directly to the Olympic Stadium with a tunnel.

The Olympic Stadium’s technical infrastructure and design ensure optimal visibility from all stands; a homogeneous sound level (102 decibels) with modern speaker systems, and a 1,400 lux illumination covering all areas of the stadium.

A 42,200 m2 commercial center is situated under the west roof, with a front facade length of 450 m and a total of 6 floors (3 floors below ground level.)

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.

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!