page_title: Stadion Vivacom Arena - Georgi Asparuhov
section_title: Construction and early years
hierarchical_section_title: Stadion Vivacom Arena - Georgi Asparuhov / History / Construction and early years
caption_attribution_description: English: PFC Levski Sofia's Georgi Aspauhov Stadium in Sofia, BulgariaБългарски: Стадион „Георги Аспарухов“ в София
context_page_description: Stadion Georgi Asparuhov, currently known as Stadion Vivacom Arena - Georgi Asparuhov, due to sponsorship, nicknamed Gerena, is a multi-purpose stadium situated in the Suhata reka neighbourhood of the Bulgarian capital Sofia. Named after the best Bulgarian footballer of the 20th century Georgi Asparuhov, it has been the home ground of Bulgarian association football club Levski Sofia since its opening in 1963.
context_section_description: In the late 1950s the club was granted a site where a new stadium could be built. The construction started in 1960 and the new stadium, designed by Lazar Parashkevanov, was built in three years. Its official name was Levski Stadium (Stadion Levski; Bulgarian: Стадион „Левски“) but it was dubbed Gerena by the supporters after the name of the neighbourhood in which it was built. The ground was opened on 10 March 1963 when Levski Sofia hosted a Bulgarian championship match against Spartak Pleven, winning 4-0. The stadium then had a grass field with dimensions 110 х 80 m, an athletics track, seating capacity of 38,000 and additional terraces for standing spectators. The main stand of the stadium was covered.
  Many reconstructions of the stadium started in 1969 after the unification of the sport and football clubs Levski Sofia and Spartak Sofia. New sport facilities were built inside and around the stadium turning it into a multi-use one hosting other sports events including gymnastics, boxing, weightlifting and volleyball. A training ground with four grass pitches was also built to the east of the stadium.
  In 1986 a scoreboard was installed above the north stand of the stadium and four floodlight pylons were erected.
  In 1990 the stadium was renamed after the legendary forward of the club Georgi Asparuhov who died in a car accident in 1971. Today a monument of Georgi Asparuhov is erected next to the official entrance of the main stand.
caption: Aerial view before the Sector A stand reconstruction
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