As Mohamed Salah and Eric Cantona join voices accusing Israel of killing former Palestine national team captain Suleiman Al-Obeid – known as the “Palestinian Pelé” in Gaza – both may find themselves persona non grata at Jerusalem’s newly upgraded Teddy Stadium. While they continue to stir controversy on the international stage, the city inaugurates one of the most advanced football venues in the Middle East
Teddy in Jerusalem: A Historic Upgrade
The Jerusalem Municipality, in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Sport, Mifal HaPais, Toto, and the municipal company Ariel, has completed an extensive renovation of Teddy Stadium – the largest in Israel, with approximately 31,700 seats. The upgrade meets UEFA’s highest stadium category (Category 4), allowing it to host UEFA Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League matches, as well as international games for national teams.
Ahead of the new football season, the stadium inaugurated its new players’ floor: four spacious locker rooms designed by Yarden Ben Hamo, advanced facilities for players and staff, coaches’ and referees’ rooms, indoor warm-up areas with synthetic turf, a press conference hall, medical and first-aid rooms, analysts’ rooms, media facilities, and more
(Death of Former Palestine Captain – Jerusalem to Gaza)
Teddy’s Future – Beyond Sports
The upgrade also includes a state-of-the-art LED lighting system, thousands of new seats, refurbished VIP boxes, an expanded security camera network, giant scoreboards, and improved pitch infrastructure. A new commercial promenade with restaurants and fast-food venues is planned, alongside direct access to Jerusalem’s light rail Green Line – ensuring convenient transportation for tens of thousands of fans
Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion: “Teddy Stadium now stands among Europe’s leading arenas. This is a tremendous boost for Jerusalem and its local teams
Minister of Culture and Sport Miki Zohar: “Hosting international matches in Israel’s capital is an important achievement and a statement that Israel is on the map
Ariel CEO Uri Menachem: “This is a milestone for Teddy Stadium and the city of Jerusalem, enabling top-tier national and international events
