Gradski stadion Velimir Sombolac

The ground sits on Kralja Petra I Karađorđevića street. It is not the biggest place in the town, but it is the only one that plays football. The capacity is 5,000.

It opened in 1972. For decades it was just called Gradski stadion, which means city stadium. The change came in April 2021, when they put up a plaque for Velimir Sombolac. He was a player and a manager who died in 2016, a man who wore the shirt for FK Partizan and FK Borac Banja Luka before coming home. He managed the local club, FK Kozara Gradiška, and his name is on the door now.

The pitch itself is natural grass, but it looks tired. A report in Nezavisne novine called it a neglected lawn, yet it meets the standards for Category 3. You can walk out onto it after a match and see the mud clinging to the boots. It is not perfect, but it is real.

The crowds here do not always come for football. In 1983, the singer Lepa Brena filmed scenes for her film Nema problema on this spot, and about 20,000 people showed up to watch. A decade later, another singer, Svetlana Ražnatović, drew 15,000 for her tour. The stadium has seen more concerts than cup finals, but the football remains the main event. The wind comes off the river and pushes the ball sideways, ruining any passing game that tries to stay short. The fans stand close to the touchline, shouting over the traffic on the road outside. It is a quiet place until the whistle blows.