Government approves construction of UEFA Category 4 stadiums

The Armenian government has approved projects to build UEFA Category 4 football stadiums in Vanadzor and Ijevan.

The stadiums are expected to be ready by the end of 2028, ahead of the 2029 FIFA U-20 World Cup, which Armenia will co-host with Georgia.

The decision was presented at the Cabinet meeting by Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Zhanna Andreasyan.

The minister recalled that 24 teams will participate in the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

“A total of 52 matches will be played, half of them in Armenia. It is planned to hold 15-17 matches in Yerevan and a total of 9-11 matches in Ijevan and Vanadzor. For this, we need UEFA Category 4 stadiums with at least 10,000 seats,” Andreasyan said.

According to the minister, the tournament is scheduled to take place in September-October 2029, while international requirements stipulate that the stadiums must be ready at least six months in advance. Therefore, they must be commissioned and certified by March 2029.

“At this point, we have 30 months,” the minister noted.

She explained that during this period, the design and cost-estimate documentation must be finalized, expert examinations conducted, and construction and reconstruction work carried out. The limited timeframe necessitates organizing the procurement through an urgent procedure.

Negotiations on the construction work were held with VenueEra Holding, the company responsible for designing the stadiums, which has international experience in designing similar facilities. The company has proposed completing the work within 24 months.

“In Vanadzor, we are talking about reconstruction, while in Ijevan, we are talking about building from scratch,” Andreasyan said.

According to the minister, if work starts now, both stadiums can be ready by the end of 2028. Following adoption of the decision, the contract is also expected to be finalized and signed within one month.

For the Ijevan stadium, the company has proposed using SPS composite terracing technology. According to Andreasyan, its use will help shorten the construction period and reduce the amount of work to be carried out on site. UEFA will provide professional consultancy during the project.

The decision also sets out specific arrangements for organizing the procurement, securing the contract and qualification requirements, the company’s agency fee, pricing of materials and products, and payment upon issuance of the completion certificate.

Andreasyan noted that in some cases, stricter conditions than those stipulated by law have been established. In particular, only half of the amount withheld at 5% of the contract price will be paid after the completion certificate is signed, while the other half will be paid after the warranty period expires.

According to the justification for the decision, the company’s total price proposal amounts to approximately €52.2 million, excluding VAT, import taxes and duties. Of this amount, approximately €49.7 million is the agreed contract price for the two stadiums, while approximately €2.5 million is a reserve for potential changes in material prices. The agreed price for the Vanadzor stadium is €22.55 million, while the price for the Ijevan stadium is approximately €27.17 million.

The minister emphasized that the stadiums will serve not only as venues for the FIFA U-20 World Cup but will also become important infrastructure for the development of sports and the respective communities in the future.