Varteks Stadium

Stadion Varteks has stood in Varaždin since 1931, and its history is inseparable from the changes of the club that plays there — including the changes of name that record who was paying at the time.

Construction and opening

The stadium was built in 1931 as the home of the Varaždin club. Football has been played continuously on the site since, even as the club's identity passed through several breaks.

Major renovations

The ground has been renovated several times since 1931. The most significant work came in 2008, modernising the venue's infrastructure — improving spectator comfort, accessibility and safety.

That modernisation is what enabled the stadium to host football at a higher level, including international qualifying fixtures. Today's capacity is 8,818, entirely seated, across three stands; only the main stand is roofed.

Notable moments

The stadium's name recalls the era when the club was called NK Varteks. It carried that name from 1958 to 2010, honouring the local textile factory that was its principal sponsor. The club was later renamed, but the ground's name outlived the sponsorship era.

Since 1993 the Croatia national team has played here from time to time.

Stadion Varteks is an intimate ground. 8,818 seats across three stands means the pitch is close from practically anywhere, and the atmosphere sits nearer to traditional European club football than to a modern arena.

Fan culture

The home crowd belongs to NK Varaždin. Supporter culture here carries the mark of a complicated club history: between 1958 and 2010 the club was called NK Varteks, after the local textile factory, and it is that name the stadium kept even after the club stopped using it.

The layout of the stands shapes the experience. Only the main stand is roofed, so a matchday differs considerably depending on where you sit and what the weather does.

Varaždin is also a smaller town, so attendance behaves differently than in Zagreb or Split — the crowd is local rather than touristic.

Big matches

The biggest league draws are fixtures against the Croatian elite, the clubs from Zagreb and Split.

A category of its own is the occasional visit of the Croatia national team, which has played here since 1993, and of the under-21 side. For a town the size of Varaždin, hosting an international is an event that does not come round often.

Stadion Varteks lies in Varaždin, a smaller Croatian town in the north of the country. Getting there works differently than at big-city grounds — the town is compact and most journeys are within walking distance.

How to get there

On foot the stadium is easily reached within Varaždin, the town being small and its centre compact. For a visitor arriving in town this is the simplest option.

By car, Varaždin is reachable from Zagreb and from the Slovenian border. Because this is not a major city, matchday parking is far less of a problem than at grounds in Zagreb or Split.

Tickets and tours

Tickets for home fixtures are sold by NK Varaždin through its official channels.

The exception is Croatia national team matches, which reach the ground only occasionally; tickets for those are sold separately and demand runs considerably higher than for a league round, an international being a rare occasion for a town this size.

Visitor tips

• When to arrive: half an hour before a league game; earlier for an international.
• How to travel: on foot from central Varaždin, or by car from Zagreb.
• Where to sit: only the main stand is roofed — that matters in rain or strong sun.
• What to combine it with: Varaždin is a baroque town and its historic core is worth a walk.