How best practices and training facility visits have contributed to the new cost-effective Legia Warsaw training centre

Wojciech Rokicki, Project Director of Legia Warsaw,  shared the latest update around their new training centre with delegates during the ESSMA Summit 2018.

Best practices 

Legia Warsaw spent over two years analysing best practices from other academies to prepare the facility to fit the club’s needs. They visited over 30 European youth academies and had several meetings and consultations with experienced training facilities and academy directors to gather best practices. 

ESSMA Training Facilities Tour

In 2015, Legia Warsaw attended the ESSMA Training Facilities Tour with several training centre visits to Belgium, France and England. In total, the project team analysed the plans of over 80 training facilities worldwide. Furthermore, the club consulted with key internal stakeholders on various stages of the project.

Various key elements were implemented in the plans and design to develop a cost-effective training centre with best practices from Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, AFC Ajax, KAA Gent, RB Leipzig, Sporting Lisbon,etc. including:

  • Lower costs in operational phase e.g. rainwater harvesting system, optimising building space management, heat pump combined with natural gas heating installation,..
  • Both artificial and natural pitches (amount determined after both internal and external consultations)
  • Location: suburban area close to the airport and the city centre
  • Legia Lab & Sports accelerator
  • Outdoor multifunctional training area
  • Small stand next to pitch for 900 spectators
  • Joint gym and physiotherapy area with a movable wall system to organise multiple sessions at once

Training centre project

The training centre consists of eight full-size pitches with one air-supported dome, the main building and a public access area. The main building is 9000m2, including an area for the first team and the Youth Academy with player rooms, changing rooms, rest area etc., R&D centre, staff offices, and more.

Next steps

  • April 2018: Selection of the General Constructor and signing of the financing agreements
  • May 2019: Final acceptance and commissioning 
  • July 2019: Use of permit

 Learn more about it in ESSMA's Stadium Development Report

Posted on 13/04/2018 in: