FCI Levadia training hall in Lasnamäe set for 2027 completion after years of delays

FCI Levadia, a top-tier Estonian football club, has announced that its long-awaited training hall will be built in Lasnamäe, with construction scheduled to begin in spring 2027 and completion targeted for the end of the same year. Club CEO Jevgeni Gurtšioglujants confirmed the timeline, noting that the revised plan replaces an earlier proposal for the Maarjamäe district.

The club has been seeking to establish a football training facility for approximately five years. The initial location, near the Memorial to the Victims of Communism in Maarjamäe, drew public criticism due to concerns about noise from training sessions. As a result, the project was relocated to Punane 69b in Lasnamäe, where the club agreed to build after receiving €800,000 in state compensation.

The estimated cost of the hall remains at €4 million, based on a 2025 assessment, despite rising construction prices. The majority of funding will come from the City of Tallinn. Additionally, the Estonian Football Association (EJL) is expected to repay the city €750,000, a sum owed from previous years as part of the project's financial arrangement.

The design deadline for the hall is set for tomorrow, Saturday, according to the club. Once completed, the facility will serve more than 400 registered youth athletes at FCI Levadia.

The project has a complex financial history. In 2020, the EJL took over FC Flora's obligations to the city, which totaled nearly €1.6 million. From that amount, €650,000 was invested in the development of Hiiu Stadium, and at least €750,000 will be allocated to the new Levadia hall. The remaining obligation of €196,765 is to be settled through a separate agreement by the end of this year.

FCI Levadia and its fan base are broadly identified with the Russian-speaking community in Estonia. The new training hall is expected to provide modern facilities for the club's youth program, addressing a long-standing need for adequate football infrastructure in Tallinn.