World Stadiums: Letná Stadium, Prague, Czechia
Letná Stadium (known as epet Arena for sponsorship reasons) is the home stadium of Sparta Prague and the most frequent home venue for the Czech Republic's national team.
The ground has a capacity of 18,944. It is the third largest stadium in the Czech Republic behind Slavia Prague's Fortuna Arena (19,370) and the Stadion Evžena Rošického (19,032), which is often the venue for the Czech Cup Final.
Stands & Pitch
The stadium features four stands. The pitch size is the standard 105 x 68 meters, featuring a natural grass surface and floodlights in the roofs of the stands.
History
Letná Stadium dates back to 1917. The ground has seen three major renovations since then in 1937, 1969, and again in 1994 when the running track was removed. In 2001 under-soil heating was installed and later in 2009 two video screens were added and the capacity lowered.
The stadium is located in a bend in the Vitava River between two large green, open spaces - Stromovka to the north and Letná Plain (Letenská pláň) and Letná Park (Letenské sady) to the south. This area has long been used for outdoor sports.
The first stadium in 1917 was wooden and had a speedway track, this was replaced with concrete structures in 1937.
The Czechoslovakian national team often played at the ground and after the 1993 'Velvet Divorce' so did the Czech Republic national team.
Sponsorship deals have resulted in various name changes including the Toyota Arena (2003-2007), AXA Arena (2007-2009), and Generali Arena (2009-2020), Generali Česká pojišťovna Arena (2020-2022) before becoming the epet Arena in 2022.
Capacity & Tours
Letna's capacity is now 18,944 for football matches. Tours of the stadium with an official guide are available including in English. Visitors can visit the press centre, Sparta's changing room and the team bench.
Sparta Prague
Sparta Prague, nicknamed 'Železná Sparta (Iron Sparta) and 'Rudí' (The Reds/The Maroons),' are the most successful club in the Czech Republic with well over 35 domestic titles.
In their past they have also reached the semi-finals of the European Cup (now the Champions League) in 1992 and the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1973, making them one of the big names in Eastern European football.
They contest the Prague derby with city rivals Slavia.
Some famous ex-Sparta players include such legends as Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Čech, Arsenal's 'Little Mozart' Tomáš Rosický, Juve's Ballon d'Or winner Pavel Nedvěd, and former Manchester United midfielder Karel Poborský, who first played for rivals Slavia. Tomáš Hübschman and Jan Koller also both represented 'The Reds'.
Raymond Braine was Sparta's first foreign player and Belgium's first professional player when he moved to Sparta in 1930.
Elements of the club's ultras are known for their far-right views and actions.
Uses
Due to its location next to the extensive Letná Plain, the stadium has served as a backdrop for large political events and speeches, most notably during the Velvet Revolution in 1989.
Access - Getting To Letná Stadium
Letná Stadium is situated in the center of Prague.
Metro: Hradčanská and Vltavská are the two nearest metro stops (*Hradčanská is not wheelchair accessible).
Bus: The 909 bus stops near the stadium.
Tram: The Sparta stop is the nearest to the ground.
Parking: There is limited parking around the stadium, so it's recommended to use public transport.
Walking: it is about 40 minutes on foot from Old Town Square. Away supporters are searched on entry and must enter in the away section only.
Fans with wheelchairs are able to watch the game from a special platform next to the away section. Hradčanská station is not wheelchair accessible.
Address: M. Horákové 1066/98, 170 00 Praha 7-Bubeneč, Czechia,
Nearby Hotels
See here for a complete accommodation list of available hotels in Prague in the Czech Republic. The Mama Shelter Praha is close to the ground.
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