Sepa Jalgpallikeskus

Sepa Jalgpallikeskus
Interactive map of Sepa Jalgpallikeskus
LocationTartu, Estonia
Coordinates58°20′59.78″N 26°43′32.73″E / 58.3499389°N 26.7257583°E / 58.3499389; 26.7257583
OwnerTartu JK Tammeka
OperatorTartu JK Tammeka
Capacity504
SurfaceArtificial turf
Field size
105 × 68 m
Construction
GroundbreakingApril 2016
Opened10 July 2016; 10 years ago (2016-07-10)
Renovated2025
Cost€452,818
Tenants
Tartu JK Tammeka
Tartu JK Tammeka U21
Website
jalgpallikeskus.ee

Sepa Jalgpallikeskus (English: Sepa Football Centre), known as Coop staadion for sponsorship reasons, is a football stadium in Tartu, Estonia. Opened in 2016, it is the training centre of Tartu Tammeka, whose first team also uses the artificial turf field as a home ground during winter and early spring months.

In addition to the artificial turf ground with under-soil heating, Sepa Jalgpallikeskus also has a 90 × 70 m natural grass training ground. The football centre is located in the Ropka industrial district.

History

Former Sepa Stadium

The history of the ground dates back to 1972–1975, when a stadium was built on the corner of Sepa and Vasara streets by the adjacent "Tartu katseremonditehas" factory, who used it as a training ground for their Estonian SSR Football Championship football team.

Sepa's revival through Crowdfunding

In 2012, Tartu Tammeka set their sights on building an artificial turf football ground with under-soil heating and in the following year, a decision was made to construct it on the site of the depreciated Sepa Stadium.

Installation of artificial grass at Sepa Jalgpallikeskus in June 2016

In order to gather funds for the project, Tammeka started a crowdfunding campaign, which was to become the biggest crowdfunding project in Estonia's sports history. The campaign kicked off on 2 November 2015 and ended on 12 January 2016, during which over 3,000 people raised €150,000 for the construction of the football centre.

JK Tammeka youth players helping to renovate the future dressing room building in June 2016

In total, the budget of the project mounted to €452,818, of which €200,000 came though a bank loan taken by Tammeka, €150,000 through the crowdfunding campaign and €100,000 from the Estonian Football Association.

The construction of the Sepa Jalgpallikeskus started in April 2016 and the stadium was opened on 10 July 2016. The opening festival saw a stadium concert by Daniel Levi and a viewing party of the 2016 European Championship final. In 2017, a 504-seat grandstand with a roof was constructed for the artificial turf ground.

On 8 August 2025, the stadium was renamed as Coop staadion through a 10-year sponsorship deal with Estonian retail chain Coop.

References

  1. ↑ "Sepa Jalgpallikeskus - Eesti Spordiregister".
  2. ↑ "Sepa staadionil algavad ehitustööd – kogukonna toetus on endiselt võtmetähtsusega". jktammeka.ee. 14 July 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 "Sepa Jalgpallikeskus". Sepa Jalgpallikeskus. Retrieved 2023-03-16.
  4. ↑ "Tammeka kavandab vutipoistele harjutuskeskust". Uudised (in Estonian). 2013-10-25. Retrieved 2023-03-16.
  5. ↑ "SEPA STAADION, 41 AASTAT HILJEM: omaaegne Tartu parim paremkaitsja soetas nimelise istekoha, et toetada tänast vutti – Meeste-, naiste- ja noortejalgpall | Tartu JK Tammeka". 2018-03-11. Archived from the original on 2018-03-11. Retrieved 2023-03-16.
  6. ↑ "Sepa jalgpallikeskuse valmimist saab jälgida reaalajas". Tartu Postimees (in Estonian). 2016-05-04. Retrieved 2023-03-16.
  7. ↑ "Eelarve (Budget) - Sepa Jalgpallikeskus". Sepa Jalgpallikeskus (in Estonian). Retrieved 2023-03-16.
  8. ↑ "Ajalooline Sepa jalgpallikeskus avatakse pühapäeval suurejoonelise festivaliga". Tartu Postimees (in Estonian). 2016-07-08. Retrieved 2023-03-16.
  9. ↑ "Sepa jalgpallikeskus on kogukonna toel saamas tribüünile ka katuse". www.ohtuleht.ee (in Estonian). Retrieved 2023-03-16.
  10. ↑ "Sepa jalgpallikeskuse nimeks saab Coop staadion". jktammeka.ee. 8 August 2025.