LFF Stadium

The Stadium was built in 1957 and was first named Lokomotyvas.{{cite book|title=Lietuvos futbolo raida (1905–2018)|first=Gediminas|last=Kalinauskas|year=2020|page=401|isbn=9786090800751|language=lt}} The Stadium was rebuilt in 2004 and renamed to Vėtra Stadium as the home ground of FK Vėtra. In 2005, the Stadium hosted its first national team matches.

Following the insolvency of Vėtra in 2010, the Stadium was taken over by the Lithuanian Football Federation for 2.2 million litas ({{euro|{{To EUR|2200000|LTU|cur=LTL|r=-2}}}}) and was renamed as the LFF Stadium. The Stadium has undergone various improvements to meet the UEFA Category 3 stadium requirements. Following the renovation, the Stadium also includes the new headquarters of the LFF, while the grass pitch was changed to an artificial turf. The capacity of the stadium was increased to 5,067.

In 2015, the Stadium was renewed. The artificial turf was relayed, replacing it with a new higher quality surface, and the Stadium's lighting system was updated.{{cite web|title=Stadionas atviras tiek profesionalams, tiek mėgėjams|date=31 March 2016 |url=http://www.sportlandmagazine.com/lit/stadionas-atviras-tiek-profesionalams-tiek-megejams/|publisher=Sportland magazine|access-date=15 October 2016|language=lt}}

File:LFF stadiono pietu tribuna.JPG

After a public backlash to an incident that occurred during the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying Group E match versus England, a specially created municipal investigative commission deemed the Southern stand "structurally deficient and unfit to seat spectators."{{cite news |last1=Badonas |first1=Marius |title=Akimirka iki tragedijos: per rungtynes su Anglija LFF stadiono tribūnose žiojėjo didžiulės skylės |url=https://www.15min.lt/sportas/naujiena/futbolas/akimirka-iki-tragedijos-per-rungtynes-su-anglija-lff-stadiono-tribunose-ziojejo-didziules-skyles-24-534077 |access-date=24 July 2023 |work=15min |date=14 October 2015 |language=lt}}{{cite news |last1=Badonas |first1=Marius |title=Raudonuoti neteks: istorijos su LFF stadiono skylėse įsmukusiais sirgaliais nepasikartos |url=https://www.15min.lt/sportas/naujiena/futbolas/raudonuoti-neteks-istorijos-su-lff-stadiono-skylese-ismukusiais-sirgaliais-nepasikartos-24-808630 |access-date=24 July 2023 |work=15min |date=10 June 2017 |language=lt}} While the Stadium underwent minor improvements afterwards, including an installation of a new scoreboard before an international game against Malta in 2016,{{cite web|title=Į rinktinės varžybas atėję aistruoliai galės grožėtis malonia staigmena - švieslente|url=http://www.eurofootball.lt/naujienos/i-rinktines-varzybas-ateje-aistruoliai-gales-grozetis-malonia-staigmena-svieslente/49345|publisher=Eurofootball.lt|access-date=15 October 2016|language=lt}} the stand remained in use, resulting in three fans sustaining injuries during the same match when part of the floor in the stand cracked.{{cite news |title=LFF atsiprašo žiūrovų dėl patirtų nemalonumų stadione |url=https://www.lff.lt/lff-atsipraso-ziurovu-del-patirtu-nemalonumu-stadione/ |access-date=24 July 2023 |publisher=Lithuanian Football Federation |date=12 October 2016 |language=lt}} The Stadium was then renovated in 2017. During the 2021 season, the Eastern stand's seating sections were also reinforced. The pitch was relayed in April 2020 and June 2023.{{cite news |title=LFF stadione keičiama danga |url=https://lff.lt/news/10741/ |access-date=6 September 2020 |publisher=Lietuvos futbolo federacija |date=30 April 2020 |language=lt}}

In 2016, the federation presented the stadium to prospective purchasers, before formally listing it in 2022, subsequent to the conclusion of the Darius and Girėnas Stadium reconstruction. The municipal authority of Vilnius declined to acquire the venue with the 11–4–6 voting outcome.{{cite news | title=Vilniaus savivaldybė nepritarė LFF stadiono pirkimui – tarybos nariai nori aiškumo dėl kainos | work=LRT | date=27 October 2022 | url=https://www.lrt.lt/naujienos/sportas/10/1810227/vilniaus-savivaldybe-nepritare-lff-stadiono-pirkimui-tarybos-nariai-nori-aiskumo-del-kainos | language=lt | access-date=11 March 2024}} In March 2024, a subsidiary of Baltijos Futbolo Akademija emerged as the probable buyer of the stadium.{{cite news | last=Jocius | first=Linas | title=Liko tik formalumai: raktą nuo LFF stadiono netrukus perims naujasis šeimininkas | work=Delfi | date=8 March 2024 | url=https://www.delfi.lt/sportas/futbolas/liko-tik-formalumai-rakta-nuo-lff-stadiono-netrukus-perims-naujasis-seimininkas-96078917 | language=lt | access-date=11 March 2024}}

In December 2024, the stadium was finally acquired by shareholders of Žalgiris Vilnius for {{euro|3.5 million}}. A preferential lease purchase contract was signed by the club for 10 seasons, with options to additionally extend for another 5 years.{{cite news |last1=Augustaitis |first1=Mindaugas |title=Užbaigtas sandoris: LFF stadioną įsigijo su "Žalgiriu" susijusi įmonė, paviešinta kaina |url=https://www.delfi.lt/sportas/futbolas/uzbaigtas-sandoris-lff-stadiona-isigijo-su-zalgiriu-susijusi-imone-paviesinta-kaina-120074773 |access-date=27 December 2024 |work=Delfi |date=27 December 2024 |language=lt}} The new owners confirmed that the stadium will continue to be available for other clubs to rent, but will mainly operate as the training venue of the Žalgiris' academy.

Since 2011, the stadium has been the main venue of a majority of the city’s football clubs; Žalgiris and Riteriai play in the stadium, as well as numerous clubs from the lower divisions. Between 2012 and 2022, the ground was the principal home venue of the Lithuanian national football team. The stadium sometimes hosts a local american football team known as Iron Wolves of the Baltic American Football League,{{cite news |title=Pirmoji Lietuvos amerikietiško futbolo ekipa startuoja tarptautiniame turnyre |url=https://www.delfi.lt/sportas/kitos-sporto-sakos/pirmoji-lietuvos-amerikietisko-futbolo-ekipa-startuoja-tarptautiniame-turnyre.d?id=74229958 |access-date=12 October 2022 |work=Delfi |date=31 March 2017 |language=lt}} and the stadium is the venue of the Dancing Day of the Lithuanian Song Festival.{{cite news |title=Šokių dienos vakariniame koncerte – 13 specialiai šiam renginiui sukurtų kūrinių |url=https://www.15min.lt/kultura/naujiena/renginiai/sokiu-dienos-vakariniame-koncerte-13-specialiai-siam-renginiui-sukurtu-kuriniu-29-997402 |access-date=12 October 2022 |work=15min.lt |date=5 July 2018 |language=lt}}

{{gallery|mode=packed|File:2024-07-25 ZalgirisVilnius Paphos FC.jpg|Panoramic view of the pitch|File:Zalgiris-Riteriai 2023a.jpg|The West Stand with VIP lodges|File:Zalgiris-Riteriai 2023b.jpg|The South Stand|File:LFF rytu tribuna.JPG|The East Stand}}

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• List of football stadiums in Lithuania
• Lithuania National Stadium

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Category:Football venues in Lithuania

Category:Sports venues in Vilnius

Category:Multi-purpose stadiums in Lithuania

Category:Sports venues completed in 1957

Category:1957 establishments in Lithuania

Category:FK Žalgiris