Basra International Stadium

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Basra International Stadium
اِسْتَاد الْبَصْرَة الدُّؤَلِيّ (in Arabic)
ملعب جذع النخلة
Basra International Stadium in 2022
Map
Full nameBasra International Stadium
LocationBasra, Iraq
OwnerGovernment of Iraq
Capacity65,227[2][3]
Acreage2,770,000 GSF
SurfaceTrack & Field (Grass)
Construction
Broke ground1 January 2009
Built2009–2013
Opened12 October 2013
Construction cost£550 million [1]
Architect360 Architecture And Newport Global
Project managerNewport Global
Structural engineerThornton Tomasetti
Services engineerAbdullah Al-Jaburi
Main contractorsAbdullah Al-Jaburi
Tenants
Iraq national football team

Basra International Stadium (Arabic: مدينة البصرة الرياضية) is a sports complex in Basra, southern Iraq.

Overview

Its construction started on 1 January 2009 and was completed on 12 October 2013. The sports city was funded by the government of Iraq with a budget of $550 million. It contains a main stadium with a capacity of 65,000 people, a secondary stadium with a capacity of 10,000, four five-star hotels and other sports-related facilities.[4][5]

The contract for this project was given to Abdullah Al-Jaburi, a major Iraqi construction contractor, and two Domerkhian companies, 360 architecture and Newport Global.[6]

The main stadium is a multilevel structure with 65,000 capacity, 20 suites, and 230 VIP seats. The complex also has VIP lounges and restaurants, spectator facilities, 205 VIP underground parking stalls and a tunnel connecting the main stadium to the secondary stadium. The secondary stadium has a capacity of 10,000.[7][8] The basic structure was cast-in-place concrete with precast stadia seating. The roof structure is steel and cantilever 30 meters from the back support column of the upper deck with a 15-meter back-span. The stadium is enveloped with a curtain wall of multidirectional curved elements. The complex has 10,000 parking spaces in total.[9][6]

The stadium is the tenant for Naft Al-Janoob and Al-Mina'a sports clubs who both play in Basra and contest the Basra Derby.

Iraq played their first international home game in four years at the stadium on 1 June 2017, beating Jordan 1–0. It was also the first international game played at the stadium.[10]

On 10 October 2019, Iraq played their first competitive (not friendly) international game at home after eight years against Hong Kong. The result was a 2–0 win.[11]

in 2023, a stampede outside Basra International Stadium in Iraq,[12] hours before the Arabian Gulf Cup final match between Iraq and Oman, resulted in at least one death and several injured.[13][14]

Name

The official name is Basra International Stadium but an other appellation is also recurrent in Iraqi sports circles and commonly used in arabic as a nickname : ملعب جذع النخلة which literally means Palm Trunk Stadium as well as Garage Huwayder or كراج حويدر.[15][16] This denomination, also reflected in the external facade of the stadium which is inspired by the undulating bark of the date palm trees, is a clear reference to one of the characteristics of the city of Basra, well known for the cultivation and planting of vast fields of date palm trees.[17][18]

  • Exterior view of the stadium at night
    Exterior view of the stadium at night
  • Flag bearers entering the pitch followed by both teams, Zamalek SC and Al-Zawra'a SC as well as a crowd of journalists and photographers, during the opening ceremony
    Flag bearers entering the pitch followed by both teams, Zamalek SC and Al-Zawra'a SC as well as a crowd of journalists and photographers, during the opening ceremony
  • Second opening friendly match between Zamalek and Al-Zawra'a
    Second opening friendly match between Zamalek and Al-Zawra'a

Events

See also

References

  1. ^ "Basra International Stadium - Basra". Stadiums World. 10 June 2023. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  2. ^ Basrah International Stadium. gpsmartstadium.com.
  3. ^ "برنامج استوديو الجماهير ضيف الحلقة المهندس عبدالله عويز الجبوري 20/2/2017" – via YouTube.[dead YouTube link]
  4. ^ "Building 4 Olympic stadiums in Iraq". Al-Arabiya. 27 May 2012.
  5. ^ Andrew S. Ross (2009-11-12). "S.F. firm to help design Basra soccer stadium". SFGate. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
  6. ^ a b Muret, Don (2 February 2009). "360 Architecture sees an opportunity in Iraq". www.sportsbusinessdaily.com. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
  7. ^ Alhakim, Amer (13 February 2009). "Basra governor says U.S. firm to build half billion dollar sports city - federal officials say otherwise". www.aipsmedia.com. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  8. ^ "Basrah Sports City | Thornton Tomasetti". www.thorntontomasetti.com. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
  9. ^ "50 companies compete to design sports city in Basra". Archived from the original on 28 September 2008. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  10. ^ "History is made as Iraq beat Jordan in the first game at Basra Sports City" (PDF). Iraqi-Football.com. Archived from the original on August 9, 2017.
  11. ^ "Iraq 2-0 Hong Kong: Iraq hosts competitive football for first time in eight years". BBC Sport. 2019-10-10. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
  12. ^ "Stampede outside stadium in Iraq kills 2, injures dozens". AP News. 2023-01-19. Retrieved 2023-11-16.
  13. ^ AFP (2023-01-19). "One dead, dozens injured in stampede ahead of Iraq-Oman Arabian Gulf Cup final". Sportstar. Retrieved 2023-11-16.
  14. ^ "Photos: Deadly stampede at Basra stadium ahead of Gulf Cup final". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2023-11-16.
  15. ^ "تعرف على ملعب "جذع النخلة" في البصرة". alarabiya.net. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
  16. ^ "جذع النخلة» أفضل من ملعب الأولمبياد ومنتخب الخليج في الافتتاح". alwasatnews.com. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
  17. ^ "Basra International Stadium: A beacon of sporting hope for Iraq". sportindustryseries.com. 22 September 2019. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
  18. ^ "Basrah Sports City". architectmagazine.com. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
  19. ^ "AFC President congratulates Air Force Club for third AFC Cup title". the-afc.com.
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