Nadderud
Bekkestua, Norway
The old Nadderud ground sat quietly in Bekkestua for decades, a modest structure for the local club. It was not much to look at, but it held a place in the town's history. The floodlights, installed in 2005, cast a harsh light on the pitch for evening fixtures. The surface was natural grass until August 2023. That month, the turf was ripped up to make way for the new stadium rising next door. The demolition of the old structure is scheduled for 2026.
The new Nye Nadderud Stadion is a different proposition. Completed in 2026, it is designed with glued laminated timber stands, a feature unseen in a Norwegian top-flight venue. The official capacity is 8,001, though the opening phase in May saw just 5,700 fans in the stands. The final sections are expected to be finished in Spring 2027. The stands wrap around the pitch on all four sides, creating a sense of enclosure. Apartments and commercial spaces sit within the concrete and wood.
Inside the dugout, the scene is utilitarian. The club returned to this location in 2012 after a brief spell at the Telenor Arena. The move was driven by cost. The new stadium promises a future, while the old one prepares to vanish. The attendance record at the original ground was set in 1970, with 10,000 people watching a cup match. That number is unlikely to be surpassed here. The new ground is a project of the municipality, built to last.