The historic Taksim pitch located along the buffer zone in Lefkoşa is being put into service again.

The field, which was renewed as part of a project carried out with the financial support of Türkiye, is expected to be opened to use this week.

Work on renewing the Taksim Pitch, which is located along the Green Line in the capital Lefkoşa and which has been given back to the Çetinkaya Turkish Sports Club’s Football Team has been completed.

According to a news report prepared by the Anadolu Agency, the artificial turf of the pitch, rebuilt with funding from the Republic of Türkiye, has been laid and the lines have been drawn.

The goal posts have also been erected and the pitch is expected to be used as of this week.

The Çetinkaya Turkish Sports Club’s football Team is planning to return to the historic pitch with a grand ceremony with the participation of its fans after an eight year break.

The field, which had been abandoned after 1974 because it was located between the ceasefire lines, was reopened to use following an application to the UN by the Çetinkaya Turkish Sports Club in 2009. However the pitch’s use was limited to training sessions.

Later, in 2014, the field was bulldozed to make way for the Lefkoşa Spectator Special Stage of the European Rally Championship (ERC), which had been organized jointly by the Cyprus Turkish Automobile Federation and the Greek Cypriot automobile federation.

Since then the area was off-limits to the club only to be used as a patrol route for UN Peacekeepers.

Following a new initiative by the TRNC Ministry of Foreign Affairs in October 2022, the UN allowed Çetinkaya use of the pitch paving the way for the new project.