Arto Tolsa Areena

Arto Tolsa Areena

Full name	Arto Tolsa Areena
Former names	Kotkan urheilukeskus
Location	Kotka, Finland
Coordinates	60°27′27″N 26°56′23″E
Owner	City of Kotka
Operator	City of Kotka
Capacity	4,780 (allseater)
Field size	105 x 65 m
Surface	Artificial grass
Construction
Opened	1952
Renovated	2006
Tenants
KTP

Arto Tolsa Areena is a football stadium in Kotka, Finland. It is the home stadium of Kotkan Työväen Palloilijat (KTP). The stadium holds 4,780 and was inaugurated in 1952 for the Helsinki Olympics. The stadium's record attendance was made during the Olympic Games in the football match between the Soviet Union and Bulgaria, the score having been 2–1 a.e.t.^[1] Depending on the source, the record is 10,000,^[2] or 10,637 or 10,950.^[3]

Arto Tolsa Areena used to be known as "Urheilukeskus" ("Sports Center" in Finnish). It got its current name after it was renovated around the turn of millennium. The current name comes from Arto Tolsa, who was a legendary Finnish player of Kotkan Työväen Palloilijat, the predecessor of KTP.

The covered main stand holds 2,500 spectators. The size of the pitch is 105 by 65 metres. The power of the lighting system is 1200 lux.

At the beginning of the 2015 season, the pitch was converted to an artificial playing surface. In May 2024, a new stand was completed.^[4]

References

1. 1952 Summer Olympics official report. p. 62.
2. FIFA Match Report Soviet Union – Bulgaria 16 July 1952. Archived 22 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine
3. Harri Levänen: "Kyllä Urheilukeskukseen mahtui", Kymen Sanomat, July 5, 2010.
4. Kotkan uuteen jalkapallokatsomoon rakennettiin vip-tilat Uefan avulla – tavoitteena saada kaupunkiin lisää maaotteluita, Yle, 12 April 2024