Tehelné Pole

Football has been played at Tehelné pole since 1940, but the present stadium dates only from 2019. Between the two lies a six-year gap in which the site stood empty: the old ground was demolished in 2013 and construction of its replacement was repeatedly delayed.

Construction and opening

The original stadium was built in 1939–1940 and ranked among the largest in Czechoslovakia: it held up to 50,000 spectators, of whom 13,000 were seated. It was pulled down in the summer of 2013.

The new ground opened in stages. It operated under provisional approval from December 2018, was ceremonially inaugurated on 3 March 2019 with a match between ŠK Slovan Bratislava and Spartak Trnava, and received full occupancy approval on 3 December 2019.

Major renovations

The stadium is new and has undergone no rebuilding. What stands out instead is how it came about: it is owned, through Slovan, by the businessman Ivan Kmotrík Sr., who was also the project's investor.

The Slovak government was to contribute a subsidy of €27.2 million towards construction but ultimately did not provide it. The ground therefore carries the word "national" although private money paid for it.

Notable moments

Beyond the opening fixture against Trnava, the key milestone is its UEFA category 4 rating, which lets it host European competition without restriction. In 2025 it staged matches of the European Under-21 Championship, with Bratislava among the tournament's host cities.

At 22,500 seats, Tehelné pole is the largest football ground in Slovakia and the only one rated UEFA category 4. By European standards it is an intimate arena, which tends to help the atmosphere: the bowl is fully roofed and the stands sit close to the pitch.

Fan culture

The home end belongs to the supporters of ŠK Slovan Bratislava, the most successful and most followed club in the country. The name Tehelné pole survived both the demolition of the old ground and the official renaming to Národný futbalový štadión — in the stands, in the press and in ordinary speech it is still Tehelné pole, or the diminutive "Tehelko".

The character of the place differs sharply from its predecessor. Where the old arena held up to fifty thousand, mostly standing, the current one is smaller and entirely seated. Supporters took several seasons to adjust to that change.

Big matches

The biggest draws are Slovan's European fixtures, for which the top UEFA rating qualifies the ground without restriction. Domestic showpieces against Spartak Trnava also fill the stadium — it was Trnava who provided the opposition at the ceremonial opening in March 2019.

Matches of the Slovakia national team form a category of their own, drawing a crowd from across the country rather than the city. In 2025 the ground also hosted the European Under-21 Championship.

The tram is the best way to reach Tehelné pole; driving is awkward on matchdays, when the surrounding streets are closed. The stadium is at Viktora Tegelhoffa 4 in the Nové Mesto district of Bratislava.

How to get there

By tram, take line 4 towards Zlaté piesky and alight at the Nová doba stop, a few minutes' walk from the ground.

By car is not advisable. On matchdays traffic is restricted on Bajkalská, Príkopová, Viktora Tegelhoffa and Kalinčiakova streets, and police advise fans to allow extra time. The development does include a shopping centre with parking, but its capacity falls short when the stadium sells out.

Tickets and tours

Tickets for ŠK Slovan Bratislava fixtures and for international matches are sold through Ticketportal and the club's official channels. Current information on access and facilities is published by the operator at narodnyfutbalovystadion.sk.

European ties and national-team games sell out considerably earlier than ordinary league matches, so book well ahead.

Visitor tips

• When to arrive: half an hour before kick-off suffices for a league game; allow longer for European or international fixtures, when checks take more time.
• How to travel: tram 4 to Nová doba; drive only outside matchdays.
• What to expect: the ground is fully roofed and all-seated, with no standing areas.
• What to combine it with: the shopping centre is part of the same complex, so it is easy to arrive early and wait there until kick-off.