| Al-Shaab Stadium | |
|---|---|
| ملعب الشعب | |
| Full name | Al-Shaab Stadium |
| Location | Baghdad, Iraq |
| Built | 1966 |
| Renovated | 2005, 2010 |
| Closed | 2009-2010 |
| Owner | Ministry of Sport |
| Scoreboard | Yes |
| Capacity | 40,000 |
| Tenants | |
| Iraq national football team | |
Al Shaab Stadium (Arabic: ملعب الشعب) also known as The People's Stadium[1], is a multi-purpose stadium in Baghdad, Iraq. It is used mostly for football (soccer) matches and is the home of the Iraq national football team. The stadium has seating for 40,000 fans.[2] It was built in 1966. The opening match featured Iraq and Benfica, for whom Eusébio was playing.
The stadium was a gift to the Iraqi government from the Gulbenkian Foundation. Al Shaab Stadium was opened in 1966, the opening game was between Iraq national team and Benfica Football Club from Portugal for whom the legendary Eusébio was playing at those days and he was part of the team during the match.
The Iraqi National team did not play any international fixtures in the stadium for more than two decades due to security reasons (80’s Iraq- Iran war, 1990 till mid 1990’s embargo and other sanctions on Iraq, 2003 till date Otc. 2008 USA invasion); During the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq the stadium was turned into an army base by the United States Army. The stadium was re-qualified in 2007 and national football fixtures resumed at that time. However, due to security reasons, neither FIFA nor any other international organization have inspected the stadium to approve it yet. In 2007 – 2008 Season the League final was between Zawra’a and Arbeel, the match had a record attendance for the new century of 80,000 and ended up with Arbeel winning the title.
The Iraqi national team returned to the stadium and played its first international match since 2002 on July 13, 2009 when it defeated the Palestine national football team, 4-0, in an international friendly.[3]
The Stadium has experienced multiple accidents one of which was the collapse of an exterior wall while fans were trying to climb it to enter a game between two famous local teams (one of them was Al Zawra’a). Some of the fans died in that incident.
Al-Zawraa, one of the most successful football clubs in Iraq, also use the stadium for some of their home matches. The stadium is also the final resting place of Ammo Baba, who requested that he be buried there before his death