Al-Shaab Stadium
ملعب الشعب الدولي | |
Government of Iraq | |
Capacity | 35,700 (original standing capacity was 50,000 prior to being made all-seated in 2010) |
---|---|
Surface | Grass and track |
Construction | |
Broke ground | April 21, 1960 |
Built | 1960–1966 (6 years) |
Opened | November 6, 1966 |
Renovated | 2005, 2010, 2015, 2023 |
Closed | 2003–2005, 2009–2010 |
Construction cost | IQD 1,200,000 (1966) |
Architect | Francisco Keil do Amaral and Carlos Manuel Ramos |
Project manager | Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation |
Main contractors | Tahsin Nu'man Rif'at |
Tenants | |
Iraq national football team (1966–2013) Al-Shorta SC (2014–present)
|
Al-Shaab International Stadium (
The stadium hosted the 5th Arabian Gulf Cup, the 1982 Arab Club Champions Cup final[3] and the full tournament in 1985,[4] the 1972 Palestine Cup and the World Military Cup in 1968 and 1972.[5]
History
Construction
In late 1959, a delegation from the
Abd al-Karim Qasim announced the building of Al-Shaab stadium on 21 April 1960, in front of 15,000 spectators. He said that the building of the new official stadium of the Iraq national football team would be completed in 1962 and will have the capacity of 50,000 spectators.[7]
The cost of construction was 1 million dinars, for the stadium to be one of the biggest in the Middle East. Its total area is 200,000m². It had an athletics track covered with Tartan, lighting towers with the height of 55 meters and the total area of the park is 40,000m² with the capacity of 4,000 cars.[6] The complex had two training stadiums, basketball, volleyball, handball and tennis fields and also it contained an Olympic swimming pool.[8]
Opening
The opening match of Al-Shaab stadium was on 6 November 1966 between the Portuguese team,
6 November 1966 | Baghdad XI | 1–2 | S.L. Benfica | Al-Shaab Stadium, Baghdad |
Mahmoud 55' | Report | 80' | Attendance: 60,000 Referee: Fahmi al-Qaimaqchi (Iraq) |
Crisis
On 9 April 2003, Al-Shaab stadium was severely damaged when it got bombed by the
Renovations
Companies started the renovation of Al-Shaab stadium on 2 March 2010 with a cost of $3,966,000 from the expense of the
In May 2015, companies cooperated with the Ministry of Youth in renovating the stadium and making it in a good form before a delegation from
On 5 August 2015, the administrative company that is responsible of renovating Al-Shaab stadium announced that on 15 August, the renovation continued after it was paused from June to August; because of the Iraqi Premier League.[19] They included replacing the sprinkling system and replacing the pitch, depending on the basis of high-quality international stadiums.[20]
The stadium underwent a new renovation in 2023, with the colour of the seats being changed to blue and white, and 1,500 extra seats were also installed in the ground.[21]
Tournaments hosted
World Military Cup
Al-Shaab stadium hosted the
1972 Palestine Cup of Nations
Al-Shaab stadium hosted the
5th Arabian Gulf Cup
Al-Shaab stadium hosted the
1982 Arab Club Champions Cup Final
Al-Shaab stadium hosted both legs of the final of the first ever
1985 Arab Club Champions Cup
Al-Shaab hosted the third tournament of the Arab Club Champions Cup in 1985, where Al-Rasheed became the champions, after they ended in top of the league in the final stage at 4 points.[4] They beat Nejmeh SC, on 5 December 1985, with a big 6–1 win. On 9 December, they beat Algerian club USM El Harrach with a 2–1 result.[4] Al-Rasheed also won 1986 Arab Club Champions Cup and the 1987 one.[26]
Important matches
31 March 1980 – Kuwait
Al-Shaab stadium hosted the matches of Group 1 for the
February 1986 – Denmark League XI
After
1 February 1986 | Iraq | 0–2 | Denmark League XI | Al-Shaab Stadium, Baghdad |
Report | Nielsen 6' Bartram 33' |
Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Farouk Tawfiq |
3 February 1986 | Iraq | 2–0 | Denmark League XI | Al-Shaab Stadium, Baghdad |
Hashim 63' |
Report | Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Salah Abdul-Karim |
10 February 1989 – Qatar
Al-Shaab stadium hosted the home match of Iraq against Qatar in the 1990 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC), where Iraq needed to win because they were only one point away from first placed Qatar.[31] Iraq and Qatar started the match with rain showering on its ground. In the first half, Iraq were the better side, but because of the slippery ground, the Iraqi defense made some mistakes resulting in a goal for Qatar from Saleh Al-Muhaza in the 18th minute.[32] Ahmed Radhi equalized the score from a header in the 31st minute. In the second half, Iraq controlled the match completely with Qatar wasting time in hope for a draw. But, from counter-attack led by Radhi and Hussein Saeed, Saeed scored his last goal with Iraq, being the most goals scorer for Iraq at 78 goals.[32] In the 85th minute, Qatar equalized the score, after the Iraqi audience at Al-Shaab Stadium were sure of their national team claiming the win, by Adel Khamis.[32] The match ended in a 2–2 draw, which qualified Qatar to the next round of the qualifications.[31] After this match, the Iraqi golden team of the 80s ended with the retiring of Khalil Allawi, Ali Hussein Shihab, Basil Gorgis, Ghanim Oraibi, Ahmad Jassim and Hussein Saeed.[32]
See also
References
- ^ Al-Mashhadani, Akram (27 November 2015). "The story of the Al-Shaab Stadium: An Iraqi monument that won't be rebuilt". Ishtar Channel (in Arabic).
- ^ "Stadiums in Iraq". World Stadiums. Archived from the original on 2018-06-28. Retrieved 2015-06-02.
- ^ a b "1st Arab Club Champions Cup 1982". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 2013-11-04.
- ^ a b c "3rd Arab Club Champions Cup 1985". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 2013-11-04.
- ^ a b "World Military Championship". RSSSF.
- ^ a b al-Badrawi, Ali. "Al-Shaab Stadium". Kooora Forums (in Arabic).
- ^ "Al-Shaab Stadium in the announcement of the leader". Al-Bilad (in Arabic) (Special). June 1960.
- ^ "Complete Biography of Al-Shaab Stadium". ShakwMakw (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 2017-02-16. Retrieved 2015-06-02.
- ^ "Opening of Al-Shaab Stadium". Salam Shabab (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 2016-02-16.
- ^ "THE OPENING GAME AT AL-SHAAB: THE DAY EUSEBIO CAME TO BAGHDAD". HASSANIN MUBARAK'S BLOG.
- ^ "Stadium didn't survive the invasion". KademalSahir (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 2018-06-28. Retrieved 2015-06-02.
- ^ Harris, Kent (5 April 2004). "Iraqi athletes have Olympic dreams". Stars and Stripes.
- ^ "Reopening Al-Shaab Stadium". Ankawa (in Arabic).
- ^ Myers, Steven Lee (13 June 2009). "Iraqis Cheer for a Team That Again Is at Home". The New York Times. The New York Times.
- ^ "al-Shaab stadium reconstruction". Al Iraqi (in Arabic).[permanent dead link]
- ^ "End of the renovation of Al-Shaab Stadium". Al-Multaqa al-Iraqi (in Arabic).[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Ministry of Youth starts the last steps of renovating Al-Shaab Stadium" (in Arabic). Shafaq News. 30 May 2015. Archived from the original on 3 June 2015.
- ^ "Ministry of Youth start the last steps of renovating Al-Shaab Stadium" (in Arabic). Hamrin News. 30 May 2015.
- ^ "Renovation of Al-Shaab stadium starts in mid-August" (in Arabic). Hamrin News. August 5, 2015.
- ^ "Removal of Al-Shaab stadium's pitch in mid-August" (in Arabic). Hamrin News. August 7, 2015. Archived from the original on June 28, 2018. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
- ^ "بالصور.. ستاد الشعب بحلة جديدة على شرف دوري النجوم" (in Arabic). Kooora. 20 November 2023.
- ^ a b c "Palestine Cup 1972". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 2011-09-21.
- ^ "Clips of the opening of the 5th Gulf Cup in Iraq". Youtube (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 2021-12-21.
- ^ "Bahrain 0-4 Iraq - Gulf Cup Website". Gulf Cup (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2015-06-02.
- ^ "Golden Record - Gulf Cup Website". Gulf Cup Website (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 2015-06-14. Retrieved 2015-06-02.
- ^ a b "Arab Club Champions Cup - Palmares". RSSSF.
- ^ a b "Games of the XXII. Olympiad - Football Qualifying Tournament". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 2013-03-15.
- ^ a b al-Rantissi, Abdul Fattah. "Matches from History 1 - Kuwait vs. Iraq 1980". Kooora Forums (in Arabic).
- ^ "Story of the match between Iraq and Kuwait at the Olympics qualifying tournaments". Al-Azraq (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 2015-06-18. Retrieved 2015-06-02.
- ^ a b c "Iraq - Denmark League XI 1986". RSSSF.
- ^ a b "World Cup 1990 Qualifying". RSSSF.
- ^ a b c d "Results of 1989". Iraqi Football Archive (in Arabic).