The Iuliu Bodola Stadium (Stadionul Iuliu Bodola) is a multi-purpose stadium in Oradea, Bihor County, and the home ground of football club FC Bihor Oradea, which plays in the third tier of Romania’s national football league. Until 1963, it was also the home ground of Club Atletic Oradea.
History Of The Iuliu Bodola Stadium
The stadium was built in 1924 and initially had a capacity of 22,500 people but this was reduced to 18,000 when seats were installed. The capacity of the stadium has been further reduced to 11.500 since one of the stands has been closed as it became too old and unsafe. The stadium was initially called the Municipal Stadium, but in 2008 it was renamed after the Romanian-Hungarian football player Iuliu Bodola (1912-1992). Bodola is the third-highest top scorer of the Romanian national team with 31 goals in 48 caps and he also scored 62 goals in 89 matches for Club Atletic Oradea.
History Of FC Bihor Oradea
The football club was founded as Crișul Oradea in 1958 and played in the same stadium as Club Atletic Oradea for a few years. When CA Oradea was dissolved in 1963, Crișul Oradea took over its role as the city’s football team and has since played 18 seasons in the top tier of Romania’s football league. Its highest-ever ranking was the 7th place, which has been achieved three times in its history.
In 1972 the name of Crișul Oradea was changed to FC Bihor Oradea, then to FC Oradea in 2002, and back to FC Bihor Oradea in 2005. After years of poor performance and financial problems, the club was declared bankrupt on 12 Januray 2016.
In 2017, CS Oradea was brought back to life and took over the youth academy of FC Oradea, while its senior team started a new campaign in the Liga V, the fifth tier of the Romanian national football league system, and worked its way up to Liga III, the third tier. In 2022, FC Bihor was re-established as well and despite attempts to merge the two clubs, they announced a break-up in their collaboration.
CS Oradea now plays its matches in a small sports complex in Paleu and competes in the Liga IV, while FC Bihor took over its place in the Liga III and has its base in the Iuliu Bodola Stadium.
