Yuri Gagarin Stadium, Multi-purpose sports stadium in Varna, Bulgaria.
Yuri Gagarin Stadium was a football stadium in Varna, demolished in 2007. It had a capacity of 40,000 spectators and was home to Cherno More and Spartak Varna. In 1983, over 45,000 attended a match between Spartak and Manchester United. The stadium was known as Varna until 2005, when its old name was restored.
The stadium was known as Varna until 2005, when the decision was taken to restore its old name; that same year it was sold to Sport Complex Varna AD. It was demolished in 2007, and a contract with GMP for the design of a new city stadium followed, with plans drawn up for 22,000 and 32,000 seats. The last match played there was a Varna derby.
The ground was shared by Cherno More and Spartak Varna, and its record crowd of 50,000 came in 1966 for a match between Cherno More and Levski. In 1983 more than 45,000 watched Spartak Varna play Manchester United. The stadium carried the name Varna until 2005, when the old name Yuri Gagarin was restored.
The stadium no longer exists: it was demolished in 2007, and the site is now a construction plot for a planned 22,000-seat city stadium. The project, a joint venture between Varna Municipality (35%) and Himimport (65%), was put on hold. Access to the fenced site is not open to visitors.
The ground was renamed Yuri Gagarin only in 2005, having been called Varna Stadium before; the same year it was sold to Sport Complex Varna AD. Its record crowd came in 1966, when 50,000 watched Cherno More play Levski, and in 1983 more than 45,000 attended Spartak Varna against Manchester United.
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