26 May

The rebuilding of 26 May Stadium in Tskaltubo arrived in phases, and the result is a venue that feels more about practicality than pageantry. The old concrete bowl was there for decades, holding roughly 12,000 people in a state of gradual decay. It was not a particularly grand setting, but it had a sense of permanence. The new structure is quite different in character.

What strikes the eye immediately is the contrast between the stands. The main stand is a modern affair, with a flat, extended roof and a red-brick facade sitting behind rows of blue and white seats. It feels airy and light. The opposite terrace, by comparison, is a steep, open-air slope of yellow and blue plastic chairs that still carries the weight of the original design. They sit across from each other without trying to match, yet the colours tie them together. A tall metal floodlight mast stands sentinel at the far end, while the pitch itself is a flat, natural grass surface that stretches out under a wide sky.

The capacity has dropped significantly since the days of the old concrete. The new configuration holds 3,500 supporters, a figure that suggests the owners were looking for intimacy rather than volume. The work was completed in 2021, funded by the local municipality and the Georgian Football Federation, and it has given FC Samgurali Tskaltubo a functional home on 26 May Street. There is no VIP box with a view of the mountains, no heated undersoil system, and no attempt to recreate the atmosphere of a larger venue. The result is simply a working football ground.