The Dan Păltinișanu Stadium (), named after footballer Dan Păltinișanu, was a multi-purpose stadium in Timișoara, Romania. Before getting demolished in 2025 it had a seating capacity of 32,972, the second-largest in Romania. Operated until 2022, the stadium was used mostly for football matches by the local team, FC Politehnica Timișoara/SSU Politehnica Timișoara. It also hosted a few matches of the football national team. A new successor with 32,000 seats is being worked on to replace it on the site.

History The stadium was officially inaugurated on 1 May 1963, then named 1 May. The construction of the stadium was done with the workers from the city's factories. Its structure was similar to the one used to build most of the Romanian stadiums of that time, i.e. compacted earth. This constructive solution proved to be extremely problematic, as the compaction of the earth over time led to the deterioration of the stadium. The original capacity was 40,000 on benches, but in 2005, when the plastic seats were installed, the capacity was reduced to 32,972.

The stadium was named after deceased footballer Dan Păltinișanu (1951–1995) who played 10 seasons at FC Politehnica Timișoara.

The floodlighting system, with a density of 1,456 lx, was inaugurated in 2003, at a match against Petrolul Ploiești. Following two general renovations, in 2002 and 2008, the venue was able to host UEFA Champions League games. It was a four-star establishment with all the facilities required for the team, internet for the press room, 30 cameras for video surveillance, electrically heated pitch, an automated irrigation system and a modern scoreboard.

The stadium has long been in an advanced state of degradation, and plans for demolishment to make way for a new venue with 32,000 seats were drawn up. It was finally closed on 25 February 2022, as it no longer met the quality standards. The last event on the stadium was a Liga 2 match between Poli Timișoara and Petrolul Ploiești during which the floodlight dimmed twice by the 37th minute, and thus resulting in an automatic technical loss being sanctioned for the hosting city team. It was then demolished in 2025.

Events Association football The Romania national football team played selected matches at the venue. The first game was played in March 1983 against Yugoslavia. Since then another six games were played, the last one in March 2010 against Israel.

International football matches Date Competition Home Away Score Attendance 30 March 1983 Friendly Romania Yugoslavia 0–2 ~25,000 28 August 1985 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification Finland 2–0 ~35,000 23 April 1986 Friendly Soviet Union 2–1 ~25,000 20 November 2002 Friendly Romania Croatia 0–1 ~38,000 6 June 2007 UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying Slovenia 2–0 27,850 3 March 2010 Friendly Israel 0–2 ~18,000 International football clubs matches Date Competition Home Away Score Attendance 13 September 1978 UEFA Cup Politehnica Timișoara MTK Hungária 2–0 ~25,000 1 November 1978 UEFA Cup Budapest Honvéd 2–0 ~20,000 1 October 1980 European Cup Winners' Cup Celtic 1–0 ~48,000 5 November 1980 European Cup Winners' Cup West Ham United 1–0 ~45,000 19 August 1981 European Cup Winners' Cup Lokomotive Leipzig 2–0 ~34,000 19 September 1990 UEFA Cup Politehnica Timișoara Atlético Madrid 2–0 ~48,000 7 November 1990 UEFA Cup Sporting CP 2–0 ~38,000 16 September 1992 UEFA Cup Real Madrid 1–1 ~50,000 18 September 2008 UEFA Cup Partizan 1–2 25,000 5 August 2009 UEFA Champions League Shakhtar Donetsk 0–0 32,000 18 August 2009 UEFA Champions League Stuttgart 0–2 33,446 1 October 2009 UEFA Europa League Dinamo Zagreb 0–3 30,000 22 October 2009 UEFA Europa League Anderlecht 0–0 36,893 2 December 2009 UEFA Europa League Ajax 1–2 38,085 5 August 2010 UEFA Europa League MYPA 3–3 18,000 19 August 2010 UEFA Europa League Manchester City 0–1 34,695

Concerts Date Artist Tour Attendance 10 August 1984 Lepa Brena Bato, Bato Tour 65,000 17 July 2006 Shakira Oral Fixation Tour 30,000

References

See also List of football stadiums in Romania List of places in Timișoara