The jaw-dropping Pancho Arena: Where is it, who plays there and why is it so controversial?

Although it holds only around 3,500 spectators, Pancho Arena is undoubtedly one of the most iconic stadiums in the world. Its stunning wooden interior and cathedral-inspired architecture have captured global attention, turning the venue into a viral sensation across social media and football circles alike.

Each year, thousands of tourists and football fans visit the stadium to witness its unique design in person.

But where exactly is Pancho Arena located, who calls it home, when was it built, and what inspired its remarkable appearance? More importantly, why has the stadium become such a significant talking point in both football and political discussions worldwide?

We provide you with all the details you need to know about the stadium, so keep reading to discover more.

The stunning architecture of the Pancho Arena

We need not describe it in a fashion that is too lyrical. Great architecture should evoke feelings that are individual to the viewer, so take a look for yourself.

It is truly a Cathedral of football, with an arcing wooden forest hugging the edge of the pitch, supported by concrete pillars and spanning the slate roof, which took seven months to complete.

Where is the Pancho Arena?

Pancho Arena is located in Felcsut, a small village on the western side of Budapest. The village is also home to the country's national football team. The football academy had nine training pitches, but two were demolished to pave the way for the construction of Pancho Arena.

However, the location of Pancho Arena has been a subject of controversy, an issue we will also explore in this post.

Who plays at the Pancho Arena?

The primary purpose of the stadium is to serve as the home to Hungary's youth national teams and to local side Puskas Akademia FC, who play in the country's top flight.

In 2023, Hungary hosted the U17 European Championships, and the Pancho Arena was one of the stadiums chosen. It was given three group games and two semi-finals.

In 2014, the Pancho Arena hosted three group games and one semi-final during the U19 European Championships.

The ground has also hosted a variety of other notable youth games, including the Puskas Cup, a club U17 tournament in which Real Madrid appears, and some significant senior fixtures.

Why is it called the Pancho Arena?

The name is a tribute to Hungary's greatest footballer, the inimitable Ferenc Puskas (1927-2006).

Puskas scored 84 goals in 85 games for the Hungarian national team, leading the Magical Magyars – as they became known – to the 1954 World Cup final, where they were unfortunate to be beaten by West Germany.

After playing for Budapest Honved, Puskas made his name globally renowned with his performances for Real Madrid, with whom he won three European Cups (1959, 1960, 1966) and five Spanish titles. The IFFHS named him the greatest top-flight goalscorer of the 20th century in 1995.

Hungary's national stadium (Puskas Arena), with a capacity of 67,215, is only one of the many things named after the legendary player.

Global football is also regularly reminded of the player's legacy. Take, for example, the annual Puskas Award organised by FIFA, which recognises the best goal of the year.

Pancho Arena, on the other hand, stems from something different yet interesting. While at Real Madrid, where he scored at least 242 goals, Puskas was nicknamed Pancho. It is from this that the name Stadion Puskas Akademia Pancho Arena is derived.

There is a great deal of Puskas memorabilia inside Pancho Arena, including match-worn shirts from Real Madrid, newspaper cuttings, programmes, trophies and more.

How to get to the Pancho Arena

Felcsut is a tiny village with fewer than 2,000 residents. It is 40km west of the Hungarian capital, Budapest.

Felcsut is a small town with no train station. Groundhoppers interested in visiting this unique stadium can use bus services from Budapest's Nepilget bus terminal, right next to the Groupama Arena, which can be another to tick off easily. The bus journey takes an hour, and there are as many as ten options a day by Volanbusz.

For those who want to take a train, you can get to the Bicske in 40 minutes from Budapest-Deli. Walking from Bicske station will take approximately 50 minutes, then you can connect with a bus or taxi.

If you're driving, the address is Rakoczi u., 8086 Felcsut.

In essence, this stadium was not designed for large crowds, and the public transport infrastructure reflects that.

Tickets for games at the Pancho Arena

Matches at the Pancho Arena are rarely sold out, so you can walk up to the ticket office in the two hours pre-match and get your spot. You shouldn't have to pay more than a few quid for a ticket.

How much did the Pancho Arena construction cost, and was it worth it?

This was a significant construction project. Notably, approximately 2,000 cubic metres of wood was layered and glued to form the stunning roof design, while the slate roof itself covers an enormous 12,000 square metres.

That size is equivalent to some national monument buildings in Hungary. The stadium's foundations are massive, covering a space twice the size of the pitch itself.

There are 31km of piping, including undersoil heating, 100 fuse boxes and 135km of cable.

All of this, combined with the detailed, ambitious and unique architectural plans by the famous Imre Makovecz and his successor (Makovecz), cost around €12m. That's a huge amount for a stadium that can fit fewer than 4,000 people.

Controversy around the Pancho Arena

In short, the Pancho Arena has been criticised for being a vanity project. Many argue it is neither built for locals nor for the legacy of Puskas, who barely ever visited Felcsut.

However, the stadium's most enduring story is its close association with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has long made no secret of his passion for football or his personal connection to Felcsut.

Orban spent part of his childhood in the small village and later played for the local club after entering politics.

His attachment to the area, coupled with his ambition to revive Hungarian football, was a major factor behind the construction of the Pancho Arena, which opened in 2014 despite Felcsut having a population of little more than 2,000.

During Orban's years in office, matchdays at the Pancho Arena often extended beyond football. Business leaders, politicians, diplomats and journalists were regularly seen in attendance, with the stadium gaining a reputation as an informal meeting place where politics and football frequently intersected.

That unique role has made the Pancho Arena one of the most politically significant stadiums in European football, as well as one of its most unusual.

The political debate surrounding the Pancho Arena extended well beyond football. In February 2017, a petition opposing Hungary's bid to host the 2024 Olympic Games attracted more than 266,000 signatures, ultimately prompting the government to withdraw the bid.

Organised by the Momentum Movement, the campaign argued that public money should be directed towards healthcare, education, housing and infrastructure rather than major sporting projects.

Although the petition was centred on the Olympic bid, it also reflected broader public scrutiny of government spending on sport, with the Pancho Arena frequently cited by critics as a symbol of those priorities.

All of this makes Pancho Arena as controversial as it is beautiful. It is a stadium of great contradictions.

Average attendances for Puskas Akademia home matches at Pancho Arena

The average attendance for Puskas Academia home matches has fluctuated in the last three seasons. In the 2022/23 campaign, 1,482 fans, on average, attended the club’s home games. They finished fourth in the Hungarian top flight, losing in the semi-finals of the main domestic cup.

Attendances increased significantly in the following campaign, with just over 2,000 fans attending every home match. Puskas Akademia finished third, with Ferencvaros lifting the title.

Finally, in the 2024/25 season, the average attendance dropped to 1,546 at the Pancho Arena. Puskas Akademia finished second in the 2024-25 OTP Bank Liga, securing UEFA Conference League qualification, while Ferencvaros retained the title to claim a seventh successive Hungarian championship and their 36th league crown overall.

• 2024/2025: 1,546
• 2023/24: 2,017
• 2022/23: 1,482

Capacity at Pancho Arena

The overall capacity of Pancho Arena is 3,865. This includes a VIP section for just over 400 guests, along with press facilities for 50 people. In addition, there are five commentary positions for TV broadcasters.

It may only have a capacity of 3,500, but Puskas Akademia FC’s Pancho Arena in Hungary is one of the most beautiful stadiums in world football.

One for the bucket list! 😍🇭🇺 pic.twitter.com/2m0VaHc3Ig

— Football Away Days (@FBAwayDays) June 3, 2025

What is the matchday experience at Pancho Arena like for visitors?

Attending a match at the Pancho Arena feels very different from a typical European stadium. Because it is set in a small village and rarely sells out, the atmosphere is calm and relaxed. 

You will not find huge crowds or long queues for food and drinks. Instead, you get a close-up view of the pitch from almost every seat, which makes it ideal for photos.

Many visitors spend as much time admiring the wooden roof as they do watching the football. If you arrive early, you can explore the small on-site museum, which features some of Ferenc Puskas’s old Real Madrid shirts and trophies. 

The food options are simple, mostly local snacks such as sausages and sunflower seeds, but prices are relatively affordable. It is an easy-going experience overall, and local fans are usually welcoming towards groundhoppers making the trip from Budapest.

 Is Pancho Arena worth visiting?

For football fans and architecture enthusiasts alike, Pancho Arena is absolutely worth the trip. The stadium is unlike anything else in European football, and no photograph fully prepares you for the experience of standing inside it.

The wooden roof alone justifies the journey, and with tickets costing just a few pounds and rarely selling out, the financial barrier is as low as it gets.

Getting there from Budapest takes roughly an hour by bus from Nepliget terminal, making it an entirely manageable day trip that pairs well with a visit to the Groupama Arena. Arrive early and take time to explore the small museum inside, where Ferenc Puskas's Real Madrid shirts and memorabilia add genuine historical weight to the occasion.

It is not a conventional matchday experience, but that is precisely the point — Pancho Arena offers something the rest of the continent simply cannot replicate.