Hungary's national stadium stands as an iconic monument to a previous era in Budapest, when this arena was built by and for the people (nép) as the Népstadion in the early 1950s. Architect Károly Dávid, also responsible for the classic Terminal 1 at Budapest Airport, had studied under Le Corbusier in Paris and used these influences to create a distinctive façade faithfully copied more than half a century later by György Skardelli.
His Puskás Aréna, which opened in 2019, is not only the stage for the Hungarian national football team, which played here against world-class opposition as part of the Euro 2020 tournament, but also top music stars such as Metallica, treading the boards here in June 2026. In addition, the stadium has been selected to host the two most prestigious fixtures in European club football, the Europa League final in 2023 and the Champions League final between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain on May 30, 2026.
Capacity today is 67,000, approximately the same size as was envisaged when the Népstadion was being planned in 1947, after a stand collapsed at Ferencváros during a game between Hungary and Austria. Desperately in need of a national arena, Budapest saw the Népstadion built in record time as thousands of volunteers, including the most famous footballers of the day, pitched in to offer their labour. The stadium may be most associated with Communism, but it was also part of the huge post-war reconstruction of the city.
The special aspect of today's arena is that while it was created as a completely new building, it refers back to its predecessor in several ways. As well as the characteristic concrete columns, it has kept the tower which once served as the entrance for VIPs and the Communist leadership. it now contains the Puskás Museum, four floors dedicated to Hungary's most revered player and the man who lent the new stadium its name.
The venue is a short walk from Keleti station, with its own Puskás Ferenc Stadion stop on the red M2 metro line and main tram 1 route.
