Chernihiv Stadium

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Olympic Sports Training Center Chernihiv, also known as the Gagarin Stadium, is a multi‑purpose sports complex in Chernihiv, Ukraine. It is owned by the Ministry of Youth and Sports and serves as an Olympic training site. The main stadium seats about 12,060 spectators (around 5,500 plastic seats) and has a grass field measuring 105 by 68 meters.

Opened in 1936, the stadium was rebuilt after World War II and was renamed Yuri Gagarin Stadium in 1961. It is the home ground for Ukraine’s women’s national football team and Desna Chernihiv, and it also hosts other sports. The complex includes a boxing hall, a running track, a fitness room, a massage room, an electronic scoreboard, floodlights, and a water sprinkler system. In addition to football, the center runs several sports schools and programs for athletics, boxing, and weightlifting.

The center has hosted various competitions over the years, including Ukrainian Amateur Cup matches and UEFA qualifying games for the women’s national team. There have been ongoing plans to upgrade and expand the facilities, with proposals to develop a larger sports complex called “Luchisty” (Radiant), featuring a new football stadium, an ice arena, a hotel, and other sport and recreation facilities.

In 2022, the stadium suffered significant damage during the Russian invasion of Chernihiv. There were looting and damage to stands, but cleanup efforts began with help from local authorities and volunteers. Germany and Borussia Dortmund expressed willingness to help with rebuilding, and there are discussions about demolishing the ruined structures and constructing a new stadium, with estimates around 10 million euros for reconstruction. The venue remains a key sports hub and a symbol of Chernihiv’s athletic tradition, with plans to restore and modernize it in the future. The stadium is reachable by public transport from Krasna Square and nearby rail links.