Bilino Polje
Encyclopedia
Bilino Polje is the home football
stadium
of Bosnian Premier League football club NK Čelik
from the city of Zenica
in Bosnia and Herzegovina
and one of two stadiums of the national football team of Bosnia and Herzegovina
. It is also sometimes used for the Bosnia and Herzegovina national rugby union team
as well.
's first match, a friendly played against Albania
in 1996 with the final result being a 0-0 draw. The stadium is considered a "curse" for foreign national teams, due to the fact that the Bosnian national team usually wins or rarely loses their home games at Bilino Polje stadium. In a period stretching from 1995 to October 2006, Bosnia went undefeated at home in around 15 games played in Zenica. The city of Zenica had to wait another 4 years (1996–2000) before the next match of the national team was played at the stadium. This match was also a friendly, this time against Macedonia
, with the final result being a victory for the home side 1-0. The Bosnian national team
never lost on this field until the Euro 2008 qualifier against Hungary
.
NK Čelik was formed in 1945 as a club and played its home games at Blatuša. At the time, the stadium was mainly built with wooden stands and could have an attendance of 15,600 spectators. Zenica, being an industrial city and having Željezara as the main provider for most of the population of the city, needed to provide some kind of job offer for its hard workers. Now, the decision was made to build a larger stadium since NK Čelik was taking part in the Yugoslav First League
.
Bilino Polje was built within a 6-8 month period, and was ready for NK Čelik to host European teams in the then Mitropa Cup
. At that time, NK Čelik hosted Fiorentina at the stadium in the finals of the Mitropa Cup and won it that year.
Also, NK Čelik went on to win the Mitropa Cup the following year as well. A few years after the construction, the stadium was actually given the award for being the most beautiful stadium in Yugoslavia
. Bilino Polje has the British style dimensions with a square look, rather than an oval look such as the Stadium Koševo in Sarajevo
, which also makes it a beautiful and somewhat unusual stadium in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
in the play-off ties on two occasions, in qualifiers for both FIFA World Cup 2010 and UEFA Euro 2012.
Table complete as of 12-Nov-2011
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
stadium
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
of Bosnian Premier League football club NK Čelik
NK Celik Zenica
NK Čelik is a football club from Bosnia and Herzegovina, playing in the city of Zenica.The name Čelik means "Steel" in Bosnian - it is derived from Turkish çelik...
from the city of Zenica
Zenica
Zenica is an industrial city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the capital of the Zenica-Doboj Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity...
in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
and one of two stadiums of the national football team of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team
The Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team is the national football team of Bosnia and Herzegovina, governed by the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
. It is also sometimes used for the Bosnia and Herzegovina national rugby union team
Bosnia and Herzegovina national rugby union team
The Bosnia and Herzegovina national rugby union team represents Bosnia and Herzegovina in international rugby union. The nation have yet to make their debut at the Rugby World Cup...
as well.
History
The stadium was built and opened in 1972. It was used in Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina national football team
The Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team is the national football team of Bosnia and Herzegovina, governed by the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
's first match, a friendly played against Albania
Albania national football team
The Albania national association football team is the national association football team of Albania and is controlled by the Football Association of Albania...
in 1996 with the final result being a 0-0 draw. The stadium is considered a "curse" for foreign national teams, due to the fact that the Bosnian national team usually wins or rarely loses their home games at Bilino Polje stadium. In a period stretching from 1995 to October 2006, Bosnia went undefeated at home in around 15 games played in Zenica. The city of Zenica had to wait another 4 years (1996–2000) before the next match of the national team was played at the stadium. This match was also a friendly, this time against Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia national football team
The Macedonia national football team is the national football team of the Republic of Macedonia and is controlled by the Football Federation of Macedonia. Due to an ongoing name dispute, it enters international competitions under its country's provisional appellation as "FYR Macedonia"...
, with the final result being a victory for the home side 1-0. The Bosnian national team
Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team
The Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team is the national football team of Bosnia and Herzegovina, governed by the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
never lost on this field until the Euro 2008 qualifier against Hungary
Hungary national football team
The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation....
.
NK Čelik was formed in 1945 as a club and played its home games at Blatuša. At the time, the stadium was mainly built with wooden stands and could have an attendance of 15,600 spectators. Zenica, being an industrial city and having Željezara as the main provider for most of the population of the city, needed to provide some kind of job offer for its hard workers. Now, the decision was made to build a larger stadium since NK Čelik was taking part in the Yugoslav First League
Yugoslav First League
The Yugoslav First League was the premier football league in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and socialist Yugoslavia...
.
Bilino Polje was built within a 6-8 month period, and was ready for NK Čelik to host European teams in the then Mitropa Cup
Mitropa Cup
The Mitropa Cup, officially called the La Coupe de l'Europe Centrale was one of the first really international major European football cups for club sides...
. At that time, NK Čelik hosted Fiorentina at the stadium in the finals of the Mitropa Cup and won it that year.
Also, NK Čelik went on to win the Mitropa Cup the following year as well. A few years after the construction, the stadium was actually given the award for being the most beautiful stadium in Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
. Bilino Polje has the British style dimensions with a square look, rather than an oval look such as the Stadium Koševo in Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
, which also makes it a beautiful and somewhat unusual stadium in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Stadium Statistics
The stadium has hosted PortugalPortugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
in the play-off ties on two occasions, in qualifiers for both FIFA World Cup 2010 and UEFA Euro 2012.
| Bilino Polje, Zenica Bilino Polje Bilino Polje is the home football stadium of Bosnian Premier League football club NK Čelik from the city of Zenica in Bosnia and Herzegovina and one of two stadiums of the national football team of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is also sometimes used for the Bosnia and Herzegovina national rugby union... |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Football matches | 25 | 15 | 5 | 5 |
| Rugby Matches Rugby football Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:... |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Table complete as of 12-Nov-2011
Facts
- Record Attendance: 35,000 against Fiorentina in 1972
- Address: Bulevar Kulina Bana bb, 72 000 Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina