Zagreb's long-awaited new Maksimir Stadium has hit its first snag — or, depending on who you ask, its first refinement. After initial renderings were shown to the public, reaction was largely negative, and Dinamo Zagreb president Zvonimir Boban has confirmed the winning design will be adjusted before anything is built.
The winning proposal came from Milan-based VG13 Architects Studio Associato, picked from 88 entries submitted by studios from more than 20 countries. Boban sat on the jury that chose it, and he's keen to manage expectations: what was presented was a first conceptual idea, not the finished article. The overall architectural concept stays, but several elements will be reworked in the next phase of development.
The main gripe from fans has been the open space between sections of the stands — those uncovered corners. Boban says they'll be reduced, though not sealed off entirely. "The corners will be more closed," he told Večernji list, while arguing the gaps won't make the stadium much colder and could actually help airflow on hot summer days. He also confirmed the ground will get its signature blue, likely deployed mainly on matchdays rather than as a permanent facade colour.
The specs so far: roughly 35,000 fully covered seats and UEFA Category 4 compliance — the standard required for top-tier European club and international fixtures. The new build is meant to replace the aging existing Maksimir and give Dinamo and the Croatian capital a genuinely modern football venue.
Boban also made a cost argument. The winning design, he says, strikes a balance between looks, comfort and the available budget — rival proposals would have needed significantly more money. And some of the planned tweaks were already flagged by the jury before the public ever saw the images, so not every change is a response to the backlash. His advice to sceptics: wait for the final version, pointing out that plenty of major architectural projects were criticised at the drawing stage.
Why does this matter to travellers? Zagreb has quietly become one of Europe's better city-break-plus-football destinations, and a new Category 4 arena would make a Dinamo match — or a Croatia international — an easy add-on to a trip to the capital. If you're planning a Zagreb visit in the next few years, the current Maksimir remains in use, complete with its well-worn, atmospheric charm that the shiny replacement won't quite replicate. Either way, the stadium's final look will become clearer as the architectural project develops.
