Imarat Stadium foundation stone laid

Image: DesignBureau

Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev has laid the foundation stone for Imarat Stadium in the city of Aghdam.

Report said Minister of Youth and Sports Farid Gayibov briefed the head of state on the stadium’s future developments at the ceremony.

The stadium, spanning 19.2 hectares, is part of the “First State Program on the Great Return to the Liberated Territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan.”

Designed to meet Union of European Football Associations UEFA’s 4th category requirements, it will have a seating capacity of 11,700 and feature a natural grass playing field.

Nyon (Switzerland)-based UEFA is one of six continental bodies of governance in association football.

It governs football, futsal and beach football in Europe and the transcontinental countries of Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Kazakhstan, as well as the West Asian countries of Cyprus, Armenia and Israel. UEFA consists of 55 national association members.

Facilities at the new stadium will include VVIP and VIP lounges, a conference hall, meeting rooms, referee rooms, dressing rooms, media rooms, a museum, and commentator booths.

Additional amenities will include an extra training field, a running track, parking lots, security checkpoints, and technical buildings.

The area will also serve as a park and recreational zone, featuring a fitness center, café, restaurant, sports retail stores, and other public service areas.

The original Imarat Stadium opened in 1952 and was home to Qarabağ FK. The stadium was destroyed by bombardments from Armenian military forces during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War in June 1993.

The stadium returned to Azerbaijani control on 20 November 2020 as a result of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war. Following its capture, Azerbaijani forces began to clear mines from the stadium grounds.

Qarabağ FK now play at Baku Olympic Stadium which was designed and constructed to meet the international standards for stadiums set by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

Having seating capacity for 69,870 people, it is the largest stadium in Azerbaijan. The stadium opened in March 2015.

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