Besiktas Tupras Stadium

A Brief History of Vodafone Arena

Tupras Stadium was built in place of BJK İnönü Stadium, which was originally built way back in 1947. On the 3rd of November, 1947, Turkey’s then-president İsmet İnönü inaugurated the stadium, who was also a Beşiktaş fan. The initial viewer capacity of the İnönü Stadium was 16,000 people. In 1952, it was renamed as the Mithat Paşa Stadium, though this was reversed later in 1973. It is also worth mentioning that because of the unique location of the stadium, it had legal status as a "historical monument", which is protected by the Turkish High Council of Monuments. This is one of the reasons why the renewal project was postponed several times from 2004 to 2013.

Of course, a stadium that was built in 1947 didn’t withstand the test of time that well and had to be rebuilt. In 2004, the first tries were made to get the necessary permissions for the arena’s renewal, but these were delayed several times and the renewal project had to start later in 2013. The old İnönü Stadium was taken down and the new Tupras Stadium Istanbul was built over it. Tupras became the name sponsor of Beşiktaş for 3seasons and buried the letters of the fans to the arena’s foundation as a love message.

In 2016, the construction of the new arena was finished. On the 10th of April, it was inaugurated and the first match at the Tupras Stadium was played the day after between Beşiktaş and Bursaspor. Beşiktaş won this match 3-2. The 2019 UEFA Super Cup final was played in Tupras Stadium on the 14th of August, 2019. Liverpool won the game 5-4 during penalties.

About Tupras Stadium

Tupras Stadium costs around $110 million dollars, and it has the technical prowess to back that up. Tupras Stadium's capacity is 41.903 viewers. There are 147 suites and 1847 suite seats, 350 VIP parking areas, 2100 VIP seats, 600 standard parking areas, 81 handicap seats and 81 companion seats, an underfloor heating system, a SISAIR Underfloor Ventilation and Vacuum Drainage System, a roof and a C90 field of view.

Beşiktaş states that Tupras Stadium is designed to have multiple purposes. It is planned that the stadium will host numerous concerts and other events in the future.
According to the Tupras Stadium  Istanbul Seating Plan, there are 30 blocks on the upper floor of the tribune in addition to a press tribune. On the lower floor, there are 24 standard blocks and a VIP block. 25 different doors lead to different blocks of the tribunes. There isn’t any way of knowing the answer to the question “How is the Tupras Stadium view from my seat” without actually trying it, but you do not have to worry about the person in front of you blocking your view thanks to the stadium’s C90 field of view design. As for the best tribunes, blocks between 403 and 428 and 413-418 on the upper floor and the blocks between 113-118 and 103-124 provide the best angles to watch the game. If you want to see the tribunes and decide for yourself, search for a Tupras Stadium  Seating Map and choose one.

In addition to its football field and tribunes, Tupras Stadium also houses Beşiktaş JK Museum, a Beşiktaş Shop and a Vodafone Mobile Center.

Where is the Tupras Stadium?

Tupras Stadium in Istanbul Turkey is located in the Beşiktaş district, which is a favorite among a lot of Istanbulites. It is on Dolmabahçe Street near the Dolmabahçe Palace and is rather close to Taksim Square and Galata Tower. There are many ways you can go to Tupras Stadium:

1. From the Anatolian Side, you can take the Beşiktaş ferries from both Kadıköy and Üsküdar. After you get off at the Beşiktaş dock, the stadium is just a 5-minute walk.

2. From the European Side, you can take the Bağcılar – Kabataş tramway and leave at the Kabataş stop. From there, it is just a 5-minute walk.

3. Buses 27E, 27SE, 29C, 29D and 41E also go to Kabataş.

4. From Taksim, you can take the funicular and go to Kabataş as well.

Visiting Tupras Stadium 

If you want to buy Tupras Stadium tickets to watch a game, the best way to ensure you are not too late before the tickets sell out is to buy them online.
For a Tupras Stadium tour, the visiting hours are from 10 AM to 5.30 PM every day. Admission fees are 50 Turkish Liras for adults, 30 Turkish Liras for children aged between 6-14, students, seniors over 65 or groups of at least 10 visitors per adult, and it is free for children under 6, holders of press, FIFA, TFA, disabled people and their companions. The tour includes a guided tour of the Tupras Stadium, a photo session with the current and former Beşiktaş stars, a certificate of participation and an optional visit to the Beşiktaş JK Museum.

Beşiktaş JK Museum rules are different. The museum is closed on Mondays, first day of the religious holidays and on New Year’s Day. Visiting hours are 10 AM to 6 PM during the October-May period and 10 AM to 7 PM during the May-September period. Admission fees are 25 Turkish Liras for adults, 15 Turkish Liras for children aged between 6-14, students, teachers and seniors over 65, and it is free for children under 6, owners of a Free Press Pass, FFA, TFF, ICOM, MMKD cardholders and disabled people. Plus, the museum is open to dogs!
To tour the museum as a group with a guide, you need to make a reservation between 10 AM and 5 PM in any day except Monday and Sunday.