Steaua Bucharest matchday experience

[JohnC]

We've just returned from 5 days in Bucharest, not a great deal in the city but a couple of good day trips to Dracula's Castle, the salt mines, and Ceausescu's house.
We took the change to see the FC Steaua Bucuresti (or FCSB as they are now known) versus Rf RFS (Riga) Europa League game last Thursday.
This was played at the magnificent Arena Nationala (National stadium), only built 13 years ago. It really is a smart stadium and so bright under floodlights. Holds 56,000, there were 34,000 for this game.
We were sat high up above the half way line, tickets costing £8.85. They were less than a fiver behind the goals.
No beer was served in the stadium, the kiosks had a team of people pouring Cola and Fanta out of 2 litre bottles.
Steaua won comfortably 4:1 and a good atmosphere from the Ultras behind the goal. I joined them in the second half to experience it close up.
It had been 28c in the day so t-shirt and shorts were still good even for the 10pm kick off. It was almost midnight before the game finished. All in all it was a good night and would recommend it if in Bucharest.
Has anyone else experience of this ground or other former Eastern Bloc stadiums?
Don't know if it's of interest but I've made a short video of the matchday experience. UTC
.
https://youtu.be/I4nUOMd9Epk
.

1727868306043.jpg (312.48 KiB) Viewed 1188 times

[Edin_Clouds]

Yes, I've experienced a number of stadiums in Bucharest as I used to live & work there. So took in games at Rapid, Dinamo (stadium now closed), Arcul de Triumf & National Arena.

Managed to see Chelsea & Man City play against Steaua, both comfortable away wins, but the games to savour are the derbies. Rapid v Steaua is hostile to say the least, but great atmosphere with all the flares, banners & flags.

As you say, for anyone visiting Bucharest try and get to a game. Most stadiums were rebuilt fir the Euros, so, despite people's perceptions, the grounds are now very modern and tickets are still reasonable even for European games.

Hai Rapid! (Bucharest Clarets)

[ecc]

We've just returned from 5 days in Bucharest, not a great deal in the city but a couple of good day trips to Dracula's Castle, the salt mines, and Ceausescu's house.
We took the change to see the FC Steaua Bucuresti (or FCSB as they are now known) versus Rf RFS (Riga) Europa League game last Thursday.
This was played at the magnificent Arena Nationala (National stadium), only built 13 years ago. It really is a smart stadium and so bright under floodlights. Holds 56,000, there were 34,000 for this game.
We were sat high up above the half way line, tickets costing £8.85. They were less than a fiver behind the goals.
No beer was served in the stadium, the kiosks had a team of people pouring Cola and Fanta out of 2 litre bottles.
Steaua won comfortably 4:1 and a good atmosphere from the Ultras behind the goal. I joined them in the second half to experience it close up.
It had been 28c in the day so t-shirt and shorts were still good even for the 10pm kick off. It was almost midnight before the game finished. All in all it was a good night and would recommend it if in Bucharest.
Has anyone else experience of this ground or other former Eastern Bloc stadiums?
Don't know if it's of interest but I've made a short video of the matchday experience. UTC
.
https://youtu.be/I4nUOMd9Epk
.
1727868306043.jpg

Thank you, JohnC. Always interesting to read about foreign experiences.

I'm one of the few on here to recall the Steaua team that won the EC in 1986 (they lost in the 1989 final).

Belodedci was one of the finest liberos of all time.

[claretburns]

Been to Bucharest many times, a wonderful city which does not get much press here in the UK, maybe it still has that communism/Iron Curtain perception but it, and Romania in general, are great places to visit.

I have been to the National Arena back in 2019 to watch Steaua v Dinamo, game finished 1-1 and spent the evening in the away end with 10,000 Dinamo fans who sang and chanted constantly from 3 hours before kick off until 2 hours after. A great experience and all for less than €10 per ticket.

However this Steaua currently in the top division is only 21 years old, the Steaua of European success currently play in the 2nd division but have constantly been blocked from Promotion to the Premier League by the owner of the new Steaua.

[JohnC]

Interesting. I did find the variation of Steaua Bucharest names they have used over the years confusing. Whatever happened to the good old fashioned way of choosing a name and sticking to it??
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[Colburn_Claret]

We've just returned from 5 days in Bucharest, not a great deal in the city but a couple of good day trips to Dracula's Castle, the salt mines, and Ceausescu's house.
We took the change to see the FC Steaua Bucuresti (or FCSB as they are now known) versus Rf RFS (Riga) Europa League game last Thursday.
This was played at the magnificent Arena Nationala (National stadium), only built 13 years ago. It really is a smart stadium and so bright under floodlights. Holds 56,000, there were 34,000 for this game.
We were sat high up above the half way line, tickets costing £8.85. They were less than a fiver behind the goals.
No beer was served in the stadium, the kiosks had a team of people pouring Cola and Fanta out of 2 litre bottles.
Steaua won comfortably 4:1 and a good atmosphere from the Ultras behind the goal. I joined them in the second half to experience it close up.
It had been 28c in the day so t-shirt and shorts were still good even for the 10pm kick off. It was almost midnight before the game finished. All in all it was a good night and would recommend it if in Bucharest.
Has anyone else experience of this ground or other former Eastern Bloc stadiums?
Don't know if it's of interest but I've made a short video of the matchday experience. UTC
.
https://youtu.be/I4nUOMd9Epk
.
1727868306043.jpg

You should paste it the fans thread, it will upset some of the locals, and give AP some new ideas on creating some atmosphere.

Nice video, I enjoyed it.

[dvalley69]

Cracking photos and a beaut of a stadium.