Kristianstad FC

Ground: Kristianstads Fotbollsarena

Visits: 7

Date: 14th April 2018

Match: Kristianstads DFF - Vittsjö 1-1 (Allsvenskan, damer)

Attendance: 1 518

Date: 14th April 2018

Match: Kristianstad FC - Lunds BK 0-1 (Division 1 Södra)

Attendance: 1 518

Date: 1st July 2018

Match: Kristianstad FC - Mjällby AIF 0-2 (Division 1 Södra)

Attendance: 2 321

Date: 21st May 2022

Match: Kristianstad FC - Räppe 1-0 (Division 2 Södra Götaland)

Attendance: 250

Date: 29th March 2024

Match: Kristianstad FC - IFK Simrishamn 0-0 (Division 2 Södra Götaland)

Attendance: 524

Date: 27th April 2024

Match: Kristianstads DFF - Hammarby 0-2 (Allsvenskan, damer)

Attendance: 448

Date: 2nd November 2024

Match: Kristianstad FC - Kongahälla 2-0 (Play-off to Division 1)

Attendance: 282

In my home town of Kristianstad the biggest sport is without a doubt handball. Swedish champions three years in a row and an average attendance of around 4,500. When the new indoor arena, Kristianstad Arena, was opened in 2010 it gave IFK Kristianstad the final push to really become a superpower in handball. When it comes to football the men´s team (Kristianstad FC) have been playing at the ran-down Kristianstads IP while the women´s team (Kristianstads DFF) have been playing at Vilans IP. With neither ground meeting the ground criteria set by the Swedish FA it was decided a new football ground was to be built. Kristianstads Fotbollsarena is situated next to Kristianstad Arena/Kristianstads IP and the southern part of the city is now a center for sports. It was decided the new ground would be inaugurated 14 April and two games was to be played on this historic day. At 13.30 Kristianstads DFF hosted Vittsjö in the women´s Allsvenskan and at 16.00 Kristianstad FC hosted Lunds BK in Division 1 Södra. I decided to attend both games and was really looking forward to what the new ground would look and feel like.

The official capacity of Kristianstads Fotbollsarena is 3 000, including 1 280 seats in the North Stand. Tickets were valid for both games and I decided to get one for the seated main stand. Having a look around I have to say I was quite impressed with the facilities. Plenty of leg-room in the seated stand and everything from the kiosks and bar areas to the toilets felt spacious. There is also a VIP-restaurant but I was not allowed to enter that one. A major upgrade compared to the old grounds and now both my local football clubs now have the ground facilities they need. At 13.00 Pierre Månsson (leader of the city council) and Peter Gerhardsson (manager of the Sweden women´s national team) officially inaugurated the new ground. As the women´s game started at 13.30 there were a good crowd inside the ground. A few hundred had come from nearby Vittsjö and they did their best to support their local team. It was deservedly 1-0 to KDFF at half-time though. 20 seconds into the second half Vittsjö equalized and despite creating several chances KDFF couldn´t find the winning goal and the first ever match at Kristianstads Fotbollsarena ended 1-1.

At 16.00 Kristianstad FC then hosted Lunds BK in Division 1 Södra and the crowd was by now 6-700. Both teams lost their opening games of the season last weekend so this was an important game for both. In the second half the home team hit the woodwork three times within 10 seconds but despite being by far the better team Kristianstad FC failed to score this afternoon and Lunds BK managed to win 1-0. A tough start to the new season for Kristianstad FC but hopefully they will pick up a few wins in their coming games.