Doosan Arena

Football has been played at Štrunc Park since 1955, but the ground took its present shape through a series of rebuilds after 2000, when Viktoria Plzeň broke into European competition and the old venue no longer met UEFA requirements.

Construction and opening

The stadium opened in 1955 as Stadion města Plzně. It was built in the park named after Emil Štrunc, and the colloquial name "Štruncovy sady" has outlived every official and sponsorship renaming since.

Major renovations

The decisive transformation came with Viktoria's rise. Successive rebuilds brought roofed stands, seating throughout and facilities matching the demands of European competition. Today's capacity of 11,700 is above average for a Czech top-flight ground yet remains an intimate arena by European standards.

Notable moments

The stadium's defining chapter is European football. Doosan Arena has hosted Viktoria against opponents nobody would have expected here before 2010, and those evenings turned a tight ground in a city park into a name known well beyond the Plzeň region.

Doosan Arena is a sponsorship name and may change again. "Štruncovky" will not.

Doosan Arena is among the loudest grounds in Czechia, and its size is why. 11,700 seats means no seat sits far from the pitch, and the sound holds well in a compact ground wedged between parkland and river.

Fan culture

The home end belongs to the supporters of FC Viktoria Plzeň. Over the past fifteen years the club has grown from a regional side into a regular in European competition, and the crowd has changed with it — Štruncovky now draws people who came to football through Viktoria's success.

Location matters to the atmosphere too. Because the ground sits effectively downtown, supporters walk from the main square, and the pre-match buzz spills into the streets around the park.

Big matches

European nights are the high point. The modest capacity and the closeness of the stands make continental fixtures the experience the stadium is known for.

Domestically the biggest draws are matches against AC Sparta Prague and SK Slavia Prague, the two clubs Viktoria has contested the title with for fifteen years. These sell out considerably earlier than an ordinary league round.

Doosan Arena is one of the easiest grounds in Czechia to reach — it sits in central Plzeň and can be walked to. Driving, by contrast, is awkward on matchdays, because there is no parking at the stadium.

How to get there

By tram, take line 1 or 2 to the Stadion Štruncovy sady stop, right beside the ground.

On foot it is only a few minutes from náměstí Republiky, so a visit combines easily with a walk through the centre.

By car, note that there is no visitor parking in the immediate vicinity on matchdays. Use the Rychtářka or Nové divadlo parking garages instead and walk the rest.

Tickets and tours

FC Viktoria Plzeň sells match tickets and season tickets through its official channels, including the club app.

The club also runs stadium tours. These take in the Trophy VIP areas with the club exhibition — trophies, shirts, flags and historic match records — and include a look inside the away dressing room.

Visitor tips

• When to arrive: half an hour before a league game; allow more for a European tie.
• How to travel: tram 1 or 2, or walk from the centre; if driving, use a parking garage.
• What to expect: a compact ground where every sector is close to the pitch.
• What to combine it with: Štrunc Park and the river confluence are right next door.