Al-Shaab Stadium, Multi-purpose sports venue in Baghdad, Iraq.
Al-Shaab Stadium is an all-seater multi-purpose stadium in Baghdad, built on a 200,000 m² site that also held two training pitches, basketball, volleyball, handball and tennis courts and an Olympic swimming pool. Its 55-metre lighting towers rise above a field ringed by an athletics track, and the stands hold about 35,700 spectators.
The stadium opened on November 6, 1966, with support from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, marking a major development in Iraqi sports infrastructure. Its creation reflected the nation's commitment to hosting competitive events at international standards.
The stadium's name means "The People's Stadium" in Arabic. Its main stand was covered by a single roof that blew off in a dust storm in 1969 during a match between Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya and the passenger transport authority, which was postponed. Ammo Baba, a former Iraq national team player, is buried inside the stadium according to his will, and a mural honours the 2007 Asian Cup-winning national team.
The stadium sits in the Rusafa side of Baghdad on a 200,000 m² site; its grounds hold parking for 4,000 cars, two training pitches and an Olympic pool. The 55-metre lighting towers and the athletics track, recoloured blue and white in 2010, are the main features to look for. Seating is all-seater since the 2010 refit.
The stadium was used as an airstrip by the U.S. Air Force only until 2004, not 2005. On 9 April 2003, U.S. aircraft bombed it during the Battle of Baghdad, destroying most seats and leaving large craters on the pitch. The Coalition Provisional Authority then allocated $3 million for renovation.
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