Tiberias Stadium Construction Delays Frustrate Soccer Club

Construction of the new Tiberias stadium, intended to seat approximately 7,500 spectators at an estimated cost of 160 million shekels, is facing significant delays, causing frustration for the local soccer club, Ironi Tiberias. While municipal officials express cautious optimism and aim for a January completion, the club's owner fears they will not be able to host league games there this season.

The club's owner, Aryeh Kalmanzon, stated, "I don't see the stadium becoming a stadium that hosts Premier League games this season. I hope I'm wrong, but based on what I see, it's not something that can host within 3-4 months." He added that the delays, which have persisted since 2021, result in financial losses from subscriptions and sponsors, noting, "It's very frustrating." Kalmanzon believes the mayor is making efforts, but they are insufficient.

Municipal engineering department officials explained that work is currently focused on the eastern and northern stands, involving structural work for building levels that will house amenities, with the seating areas to follow. They anticipate the arrival of the stands within a month and are finalizing plans for a full stadium roof, which is expected to take four to six months to produce and will be installed in stages.

City officials countered the club's concerns by stating that the pace of work will increase, explaining that the current phase requires specialized professionals to work sequentially for safety reasons. They expect more workers to be on-site once the stands are in place. The municipality's target for the club to move into the stadium is around January, coinciding with the winter transfer window, which they consider a significant boost for the team.

The western section of the stadium is nearly complete, with only chair replacements pending before hosting games. The locker rooms and broadcast booths are already equipped and ready for use. The club has been training at the current stadium for nearly a year.