Innaugurated in 1936. Reconstructed in 1950, 1966, 1981 and 2000. Seating capacity - 31 718. Pitch dimensions — 105 x 68. Lighting capacity — 1500 lux.
In spring 1936 the decision was made to build a stadium in the city central recreation and entertainment park (Sherbakov Park at present) on the ground of Soviet sales workers where Stalin 'Dinamo' was usually playing. The new regional centre stadium was put into service by autumn. It was build just in four month time at quite a low cost.
Wooden stands had a seating capacity for 14 thousand people but the passage to the upper path going round the stands allowed to increase that number to 20 thousand. The seating space included two big (west and east) stands and two smaller (north and south) stands. The north stand had the orchestra stalls. 400-meter field path was covered by cinder.
The stadium was opened on September 6th, 1936 and hosted a friendly with the team from Shakhty, Rostov region and the first official match was played here on September 11th. Stakhanovets played the home leg vs Lokomotiv Tbilisi and beat them 3-1. In 1938 when the team began to play in the top league the stadium was equipped with the public-address system.
In the late 40-s the reconstruction works were carried out on the stadium and the first match after reconstruction was played on August 27, 1950. The new stands made of reinforced concrete were designed for 25 thousand spectators. The flood lighting system was introduced for FC Shakhtar - FC Dinamo Moscow match on October 27, 1954. Donetsk stadium was the second after the famous Dinamo Moscow stadium having this innovation. The third birthday of our principal stadium was on August 28, 1966. Beautiful stadium with upper stands for 42 thousand spectators was equipped with a unique flood lightning system and the scoreboard most advanced for that time. .
Another reconstruction was carried out since 1978 to 1981. Complex drainage, pitch drying and heating systems with 11 km of ceramic and metal pipes were installed .
Further capital reconstruction continued in 1999 in view of anticipated FC Shakhtar participation in UEFA Champions League. Wooden benches were replaced with plastic seats. Nowadays the stadium can host almost 32 thousand spectators. The stadium flood lightning system was updated raising its floodlighting capacity to 1500 lux that met modern requirements. A VIP-box, Champions Club, up-to-date Press-Centre and Television Surveillance System were introduced to the stadium. And above all, the stadium was equipped with new ultra-modern dressing rooms for footballers and coaches and with other support facilities that made it possible to conducts matches of the highest European and World level.
In the year 2000 FC Shakhtar Donetsk was playing in the UEFA Champions League. Central Stadium Shakhtar saw on its pitch the footballers from Lazio Italy, Sparta Czech Republic and Arsenal England. In view of the severe requirements set for the stadiums hosting the Champions League matches, Т.Е.А.М. Company experts, representing the UEFA were complimentary about the organisation of matches of the prestigious European tournament on CS Shakhtar.
