Quiet week at Jotun Arena as club opens doors to grassroots

With the first team playing away this week, Jotun Arena is in academy hands, and the club has invited grassroots clubs to a free evening at the stadium on 5 November. The next first-team home match is against Molde on 8 November, with Sandefjord 13th in the Eliteserien.

A quiet week for the first team

The fixture list has taken Sandefjord Fotball away from home this week. According to the club's weekly preview of what is happening at Jotun Arena, a tight run of away games means there is little first-team activity at the stadium. The senior side travelled to Kristiansand at the weekend to face Start. It is in cup action at Odd in Skien on Wednesday evening, with kick-off at 18:00. Aalesund are the next league opponents, and that game is also away from home.

That leaves the arena in the hands of the club's academy teams for now. The Komplett Academy has matches on the calendar, so supporters who want football this week can still find it at the ground. The club's second team, SF2, played its final home game of the season in the Norsk Tipping-Ligaen, Division 6, against Sarpsborg 08 2. That brought the season's home programme for the reserves to a close.

Academy success off the pitch

The academy has also been in the news for what it has done elsewhere. The club's G16 team has reached the final of the Norwegian Championship after winning its semi-final away at Aalesund. The final is on 21 or 22 November, against either Brann or Stabæk. The club says the group has written itself into Sandefjord Fotball's history books by reaching the national final.

Academy coaches have also been out visiting grassroots clubs, sharing knowledge and inspiration with them. It is part of the work the Komplett Academy does with clubs around the region.

Grassroots invited to the arena

Jotun Arena will open its doors to the wider football community on Thursday 5 November at 18:00. Sandefjord Fotball is inviting all grassroots clubs in Vestfold and the surrounding area to a club evening at the stadium. The event is free.

The evening fits the role the club gives the stadium. Jotun Arena opened on 21 July 2007 with a capacity of 6,582. It was known as Komplett.no Arena, Komplett Arena and Release Arena before being renamed Jotun Arena on 5 September 2023, after the local chemicals company and main sponsor. The record attendance is 8,103, from the opening match against Lyn.

Molde next in town

The next first-team home match is Molde on Sunday 8 November at 17:00. The visitors are third in the Eliteserien with 43 points from 24 games. Sandefjord are 13th with 24 points, level with 14th-placed Aalesund, and only four points clear of Kristiansund BK in 15th. The most recent league match at Jotun Arena was a 0-2 defeat to Lillestrom on 18 October, when the visitors led 2-0 at half-time.

With the bottom of the table so tight, the visit of Molde will be an important night for the home support.

Sources: sandefjordfotball.no, en.wikipedia.org