Sepa Jalgpallikeskus

Sepa Jalgpallikeskus

Location	Tartu, Estonia
Coordinates	58°20′59.78″N26°43′32.73″E / 58.3499389°N 26.7257583°E / 58.3499389; 26.7257583
Owner	Tartu JK Tammeka
Operator	Tartu JK Tammeka
Capacity	504 [1]
Field size	105 × 68 m
Surface	Artificial turf
Construction
Broke ground	April 2016
Opened	10 July 2016;9 years ago (2016-07-10)
Renovated	2025 [2]
Construction cost	€452,818
Tenants
Tartu JK Tammeka Tartu JK Tammeka U21
Website
jalgpallikeskus.ee

Sepa Jalgpallikeskus (English: Sepa Football Centre), known as Coop staadion for sponsorship reasons, is a football stadium in Tartu, Estonia. Opened in 2016, it is the training centre of Tartu Tammeka, whose first team also uses the artificial turf field as a home ground during winter and early spring months. ^[3]

In addition to the artificial turf ground with under-soil heating, Sepa Jalgpallikeskus also has a 90 × 70 m natural grass training ground. ^[3] The football centre is located in the Ropka industrial district.

History

Former Sepa Stadium

The history of the ground dates back to 1972–1975, when a stadium was built on the corner of Sepa and Vasara streets by the adjacent "Tartu katseremonditehas" factory, who used it as a training ground for their Estonian SSR Football Championship football team. ^{[4] [5]}

Sepa's revival through Crowdfunding

In 2012, Tartu Tammeka set their sights on building an artificial turf football ground with under-soil heating and in the following year, a decision was made to construct it on the site of the depreciated Sepa Stadium. ^[3]

Installation of artificial grass at Sepa Jalgpallikeskus in June 2016

In order to gather funds for the project, Tammeka started a crowdfunding campaign, which was to become the biggest crowdfunding project in Estonia's sports history. The campaign kicked off on 2 November 2015 and ended on 12 January 2016, during which over 3,000 people raised €150,000 for the construction of the football centre. ^[6]

JK Tammeka youth players helping to renovate the future dressing room building in June 2016

In total, the budget of the project mounted to €452,818, of which €200,000 came though a bank loan taken by Tammeka, €150,000 through the crowdfunding campaign and €100,000 from the Estonian Football Association. ^[7]

The construction of the Sepa Jalgpallikeskus started in April 2016 and the stadium was opened on 10 July 2016. The opening festival saw a stadium concert by Daniel Levi and a viewing party of the 2016 European Championship final. ^[8] In 2017, a 504-seat grandstand with a roof was constructed for the artificial turf ground. ^[9]

On 8 August 2025, the stadium was renamed as Coop staadion through a 10-year sponsorship deal with Estonian retail chain Coop. ^[10]

External links

• Timelapse of the construction of Sepa Jalgpallikeskus
• Video Story of Sepa Jalgpallikeskus

References

1. "Sepa Jalgpallikeskus - Eesti Spordiregister".
2. "Sepa staadionil algavad ehitustööd – kogukonna toetus on endiselt võtmetähtsusega". jktammeka.ee. 14 July 2025.
3. "Sepa Jalgpallikeskus". Sepa Jalgpallikeskus. Retrieved 2023-03-16.
4. "Tammeka kavandab vutipoistele harjutuskeskust". Uudised (in Estonian). 2013-10-25. Retrieved 2023-03-16.
5. "SEPA STAADION, 41 AASTAT HILJEM: omaaegne Tartu parim paremkaitsja soetas nimelise istekoha, et toetada tänast vutti – Meeste-, naiste- ja noortejalgpall | Tartu JK Tammeka". 2018-03-11. Archived from the original on 2018-03-11. Retrieved 2023-03-16.
6. "Sepa jalgpallikeskuse valmimist saab jälgida reaalajas". Tartu Postimees (in Estonian). 2016-05-04. Retrieved 2023-03-16.
7. "Eelarve (Budget) - Sepa Jalgpallikeskus". Sepa Jalgpallikeskus (in Estonian). Retrieved 2023-03-16.
8. "Ajalooline Sepa jalgpallikeskus avatakse pühapäeval suurejoonelise festivaliga". Tartu Postimees (in Estonian). 2016-07-08. Retrieved 2023-03-16.
9. "Sepa jalgpallikeskus on kogukonna toel saamas tribüünile ka katuse". www.ohtuleht.ee (in Estonian). Retrieved 2023-03-16.
10. "Sepa jalgpallikeskuse nimeks saab Coop staadion". jktammeka.ee. 8 August 2025.