HNK Rijeka will open the new stadium in Opatija with a friendly match against NK Opatija on Friday at 19:00. The game will be the first official event at the 6.5 million euro facility, built to HNS criteria for the second tier of the Croatian league.
Opatija mayor Fernando Kirigin highlighted the project's broader significance. "This is not just a new stadium for Opatija's footballers but an investment in Opatija's sports, children, youth and the future of our city," said Kirigin. The stadium, with 802 seats and a FIFA Quality Pro certified artificial pitch, will host all age categories of NK Opatija, with club president Robert Perčić stating, "This stadium is everything we need."
Reconstruction works lasted two years, funded by loans from HBOR and Zagrebačka banka with support from the Ministry of Tourism and Sport. Besides the main pitch, the complex includes auxiliary pitches and separate stands for home and away fans. Due to high interest and limited capacity, tickets will not be sold; instead, invitations will be given to those who contributed to the construction, young people and their parents.
For Rijeka, this match comes during a period of good training and preparation for the league's continuation. The team currently sits 5th in the HNL standings with 14 points from seven matches. Data from our stats page shows the team is in good form ahead of this friendly fixture.
After the opening, the stadium will be used daily by around 250 children from Opatija's football school, and inquiries from foreign clubs to use the facility for preparations have already arrived. NK Opatija's first team awaits a license to compete in the second HNL league so that their senior squad can also return to play in their city.
Read the full report at 24sata Sport
