Odense Stadium
Odense Stadium (Danish: Odense Stadion) is an association football stadium in the Bolbro district of Odense, Denmark. Nicknamed Folkets Teater (en: "The People's Theater") by Jack Johnson, it has been the home ground of Odense Boldklub since the 1940s and has previously hosted select matches for FC Fyn (2011–2012), Boldklubben 1909, Boldklubben 1913 and Odense Boldklub Kvinde Elite (until 2016) during their tenures in the higher ranking leagues. With a current capacity of 15,790 (13,990 seatings; 13,573 seatings for international matches), it is the fifth largest football stadium of any football team in Denmark. It is part of the sports complex, known as Odense Sports Park (Danish: Odense Idrætspark), owned by Odense Municipality and run by the company of Odense Idrætspark (a department of "By- og Kulturforvaltningen, Fritid og biblioteker" under the municipality).
Naming rights agreement since June 2018 | |
Panorama view of the stadium during a match in 2008 | |
| Full name | Nature Energy Park |
|---|---|
| Former names | Odense Stadion (1941–present) Fionia Park (2005–2010) TRE-FOR Park (2010–2016) EWII Park (2016–2018) Nature Energy Park (2018–present) |
| Location | Højstrupvej 7B DK-5200 Odense V |
| Coordinates | 55°23′52″N 10°21′00″E |
| Owner | Odense Municipality Odense Sport & Event |
| Capacity | 15,790 (13,990 seatings) |
| Record attendance | 30,924 (B1913 vs Esbjerg fB, 1 September 1963) |
| Field size | 105 by 68 metres (114.8 yd × 74.4 yd) |
| Surface | Natural grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1937 |
| Built | 1939–1941 |
| Opened | 17 August 1941 |
| Renovated | 1965, 1996–1997, 2004–2005 |
| Construction cost | DKK ~1 million (1937–1941) DKK 60 million (1996–1997) DKK 50 million (2004–2005) |
| Architect | Edvard Thomsen & Vagn O. Kyed (1939–1941), Gert Andersson (1996–1997), Søren Vestergaard of TKT A/S (2004–2005) |
| Tenants | |
| Odense Boldklub (1947–present) FC Fyn (2011–2012) Boldklubben 1909 (some matches) Boldklubben 1913 (some matches) Odense Boldklub Kvinde Elite (until 2016) 1990–91 Danish Cup Finals 7x Danish Women's Cup Finals Denmark A (some matches) Denmark women's A (some matches) FBUs Pokalturnering Finals (some matches) | |
The venue was inaugurated in August 1941 as Odense Stadium with major renovations made in the 1990s and 2000s. In recent years, it has been known under several names due to sponsorship arrangements; Fionia Park (2005–2010), TRE-FOR Park (2010–2016), EWII Park (2016–2018), and in June 2018 it was renamed Nature Energy Park, when the naming rights for Odense Boldklub's football matches and events was acquired by Nature Energy, an energy company. In FIFA and UEFA matches, it is known under its original name, Odense Stadium, due to sponsorship restrictions.
The 1990–91 Danish Cup Finals were played at the stadium, which has also hosted 7 Danish Women's Cup Finals (1997/98–2002/03 and 2013/14) and several home matches for both the Denmark national football team (since 1962) and the Denmark women's national football team (since 1984). Other uses have included hosting concerts with a capacity of 22,000 concertgoers, Fagenes Fest in 1948 and the DGI's Landsstævnet in 1985.