The Olympic National Sports Complex (also known as Olympic Stadium) is a multi-use sports facility in Kiev, Ukraine, located on the slopes of the city’s central Cherepanov Hill, Pechersk Raion. The stadium is the premier sports venue in Ukraine and the second largest in Eastern Europe after Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium. The complex also features several other sports facilities and is designed to host the Olympic Games (the stadium hosted some football matches at the 1980 Summer Olympics).
Following extensive renovation works, including the construction of a new roof, the stadium was reopened on 9 October 2011 with a performance by Shakira and had its international inauguration with a 3-3 friendly draw by Ukraine against Germany on 11 November 2011. It will host the final of Euro 2012.
After Ukrainian independence in 1991, the stadium was given national status in 1996 and renamed again as the “Olympic” National Sports Complex. Kyivans still commonly refer to it as the Tsentralny (Central) or Respublykanskyi stadion (Republican Stadium), and the nearby metro station Olimpiiska that was also called “Respublykanskyi Stadion”.
In 1997-99, the stadium was renovated again in accordance with FIFA guidelines, and its capacity was reduced to 83,450. The stadium continued to be the home ground of Dynamo with the Lobanovsky stadium serving as a training ground. Sometime after 1998 big changes took place as it was no longer efficient to keep and maintain the stadium as a club ground. Dynamo decided to reconstruct the Lobanovsky Dynamo Stadium as its primary ground because match attendances rarely exceeded 10,000 spectators. The stadium is an official home ground of the Ukraine national football team and was the official venue of the Ukrainian Cup final until 2008. From 2008 Olympic underwent a major reconstruction in preparation for the continental championship.
On 18 April 2007, Poland and Ukraine were chosen by UEFA to co-host the finals of Euro 2012, with the Olimpiysky Stadium set to host the final. The reconstruction of the stadium involved the demolition and rebuilding of the lower tier, a completely new west stand with a two-level press box, luxury boxes between the two tiers, the addition of a 13-storey high-rise building to the west (to house the Sheraton Kyiv Olimpiysky Hotel), and the addition of a new roof (of unique design) covering the entire seating area. The capacity of the stadium after the reconstruction is 70,050. Reconstruction began on 1 December 2008, when the winner of a tender was announced. It was scheduled to be finished in 2011. The stadium was officially opened by Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych on 8 October 2011.
