Mayor of Zenica and representatives of the Football Association of BiH discuss reconstruction of Bilino Polje

ZENICA, (Patria) - Mayor of Zenica Fuad Kasumović today received a delegation of the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina in his office. Secretary General of the FA BiH Jasmin Baković, expert for infrastructure of the FA BiH Nihad Hodžić and Alija Porča, director of the Training Centre of the FA BiH, informed the mayor about the plans of the Bosnian football house regarding the Bilino Polje stadium and the Training Centre of the FA BiH.

According to the words of the Secretary General of the FA BiH Jasmin Baković, the national team of BiH in September and October 2018 will play matches against Northern Ireland and Austria within the Nations League, while in the spring of next year the qualifications for the European Championship begin.

- Due to circumstances, because of the suspension of Bilino Polje, the last match of the qualifications for the World Cup in Russia, the A national team of BiH played against Belgium at Grbavica. UEFA is raising standards and criteria but also provides money which it wants to invest in the right way. The UEFA expert team for infrastructure will visit BiH on April 16 and will also visit Bilino Polje - said Baković.

The Bilino Polje stadium meets the basic conditions of strict UEFA criteria, and the delegation of the FA BiH received assurances from Mayor Kasumović that the UEFA expert team during their visit to Zenica will have the opportunity to see a presentation of the project of the reconstructed Bilino Polje. According to earlier suggestions from UEFA and the FA BiH, the Bilino Polje stadium should increase its capacity by at least 5,000 seats. This plan would be realized through the reconstruction of the southern and northern stands, as well as the upgrading of the eastern stand.

- The City of Zenica is ready to propose to the Football Association of BiH that Bilino Polje becomes a national stadium, in order to use all funds from international associations and bring the stadium to optimal condition. We are ready to partially co-finance the reconstruction of the stadium, all so that the matches of the BiH national team will continue to be played in our city. We are at the disposal of the FA BiH, UEFA and FIFA with all our capacities, and I believe that Bilino Polje and Zenica, due to its location, the built Training Centre and tradition, should be among the first options for future projects - said Fuad Kasumović, Mayor of Zenica.

Given the expressed interest of the FA BiH in expanding the capacity of the Training Centre of the FA BiH at Crkvičko brdo, which would be reflected in the construction of another football field and new accommodation capacities, the City of Zenica is ready to be maximally cooperative in this project as well. In this regard, the new Regulatory Plan, which is planned to be adopted for this part of the city by autumn 2018, will certainly help.