Karbala International Stadium
Sports stadium in Iraq
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Karbala International Stadium (Arabic: ملعب كربلاء الدولي) is the largest sports stadium[3] in the city of Karbala and the middle-Euphrates area. It can accommodate more than 30 thousand spectators and was opened on 12 May 2016.
| ملعب كربلاء الدولي[1] | |
 | |
 Interactive map of Karbala International Stadium | |
Full name | Karbala International Stadium |
|---|---|
| Location | Karbala, Iraq |
| Coordinates | 32.565082°N 44.004240°E |
| Owner | Government of Iraq |
| Capacity | 30,000[2] |
| Surface | Track & Field (Grass) |
Field size | 105 m × 68 m |
| Construction | |
| Built | 2013–2016 |
| Opened | 12 May 2016 |
| Cost | $100 Million |
Services engineer | Bahadır Kul Architects (BKA) |
Main contractor | Bahadır Kul Architects (BKA) |
| Tenants | |
| Iraq national football team (selected matches) Karbalaa FC | |
Description
Karbala International Stadium's construction started in January 2013 and the construction was at an overall cost of $100,000,000 funded by the government of Iraq. It is a grass surfaced football (soccer) arena with a total area of 34,000m 2. It can seat up to 30,000 spectators and has other sports-related facilities. The height of the roof raises to about 35 metres.[4] The stadium does not have an athletics track, allowing spectators to enjoy an optimal visual experience. The outer facade of the stadium is composed of 72 gates, which is a symbolic number as it represents the number of martyrs of Karbala. It was designed and built by Bahadır Kul Architects.[5] It is owned by the Iraqi national government and is home to Karbalaa FC.
It opened on 12 May 2016 with a football match between Karbalaa FC and the Iraq's 2007 AFC Asian Cup-winning team in the presence of 30 thousand spectators, including the governor of Karbala and the former Iraqi Minister of Youth and Sports Abdul-Hussein Abtaan, and the game ended 0–0.[6] The Brazilian coach Jorvan Vieira was also present as a guest of honour.[7]
On 13 November 2017, the first international friendly match was held on the pitch between the Iraqi and Syrian national teams; the match ended in a draw.[8]
On 14 August 2019, the stadium hosted the West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) Championship final, marking the comeback of the continental tournaments on Iraqi soil.[9]