Stadion NŠC Stjepan Spajić

Stadion NŠC Stjepan Spajić has always felt more like a local landmark than a cathedral of football.

It opened in the year 2000, built when the Novi Zagreb area needed something to bring people to the streets. Originally called Stadion u Sigetu, it took its name from the neighbourhood, keeping a quiet presence until 2006. That year, the club renamed it to honour Stjepan Spajić, the president who died the previous year.

You can see the natural grass from the edge of the concrete track that runs round the pitch. There is no heating system under the turf, no hybrid layers—just the green surface and the rain. The capacity is a matter of debate, with sources pointing to either 4,500 or 5,000 seats, though most days the crowd is small enough to fit on the bench.

It has hosted international rugby matches too, with teams like Ukraine and Switzerland coming through for Rugby Europe fixtures in 2022 and 2023. But on football days, the history between the hosts and visitors like Hajduk Split is what people remember. A crowd of 2,500 turned up in 2000 to watch the visitors win 3–1, and another 2,000 saw Lokomotiva take on the same opponents in 2014. The ground does not try to be anything else. It is simply where the players come to work, and where the fans watch from the concrete steps.