Oulu’s new football stadium opens after 23.7 million euro build

Oulu’s new football stadium will open in September after more than six years of planning, appeals and construction, Yle reports. The project cost 23.7 million euros, compared with an initial estimate of 13 million euros.

The OTC Stadion, located in the Heinäpää sports area near central Oulu, is owned by OTC Sijoitus, the investment company of Tomi Kaismo. Kaismo is also the majority owner of football club AC Oulu.

“Faith has not run out, but it has disappeared at times. We have always found it somewhere again,” Kaismo said while presenting the stadium shortly before its completion.

The first match at the stadium will be played on September 12, although AC Oulu’s opponent has not yet been decided. The stadium’s opening will be marked a week earlier with a Friday evening concert.

The stadium has a heated artificial pitch measuring 105 by 68 metres. It can accommodate 5,080 spectators for football matches and about 9,000 people at concerts.

The stands have been built close to the pitch, with the nearest seats only six metres from the field. Kaismo said spectators in the front rows should be able to hear players and coaches during matches.

Work is still continuing inside the building. AC Oulu’s changing room is being fitted with two ice baths to help players recover after matches and demanding training sessions. The room also has designated places for players and several television screens for tactical meetings.

The stadium has 542 VIP seats, more than 400 of them in a restaurant and lounge area with access to heated seats in the stands.

The project was developed during the coronavirus pandemic, when sports leagues and public events largely stopped. It was later delayed by an appeal process lasting almost two years, before the final investment decision was made in winter 2025.

Construction costs rose by about one million euros a year over five years. Kaismo attributed the increase to the global situation and the higher cost of specialised construction.

Kaismo’s investment company is covering more than 15 million euros of the construction costs. The City of Oulu contributed more than four million euros, while the Union of European Football Associations contributed one million euros. Part of the UEFA funding reduces the city’s share.

AC Oulu will move into the new facilities on Friday, August 28, Kaismo said. The VIP areas for the first events have nearly 550 seats and have already sold out, while an additional VIP area has been created for the opening match.

Kaismo said the stadium is already generating income. Permanent advertising spaces have sold out, and advertisers have also shown interest in rotating digital advertising spaces.

The stadium’s UEFA category three classification will allow AC Oulu to host European matches, as well as women’s and youth international matches. The pitch will also be rented to other clubs, while the city will allocate time slots for public use.