Arena Lviv began with a promise of international gathering. Opened ceremonially on 29 October 2011, it was the last of Ukraine's four stadiums prepared for Euro 2012 to be unveiled. Its later history would give that idea of gathering a different meaning. Alongside football and architectural ambition came matches for a displaced club and, after the full-scale invasion, accommodation for people forced from their homes.
The opening ceremony and the first match were separate occasions. The celebration presented a new building through performance and music; Ukraine then played Austria on 15 November 2011. Artem Milevskiy scored first, and Marko Dević's late winner secured a 2–1 home victory. The dates mark different beginnings: the introduction of the arena to the public and its first recorded international football encounter.
