Rize City Stadium

The local side, Çaykur Rizespor, plays here.

It opened in 2009, replacing the older Rize Atatürk Stadium. The surface is hybrid grass, reinforced with synthetic fibres to stop the mud from swallowing the ball. This is a practical adjustment for a town where the sky often opens up mid-match.

The stadium was originally called Yeni Rize Şehir Stadyumu, a dry name that stuck for six years. Then came the sponsorship deal with Çaykur, the tea company that gives Rize much of its identity. The name changed to Çaykur Didi Stadium, after their brand of cold tea. The capacity is around 14,879, a number that fluctuates slightly depending on whether the Turkish Football Federation counts standing areas or updated seating plans. It is not a huge arena, but it feels full when the away end starts singing.

There is no under-soil heating, which would be wasted on this climate anyway. Instead, the infrastructure focuses on drainage. At the end of the last season, the pitch was fully reconstructed to address waterlogging, a problem that has plagued the ground since day one. The stands are close to the action, so the wind coming off the sea finds its way into the players and the fans alike.