 | |
 Interactive map of Jinnah Sports Stadium | |
| Location | Islamabad,Pakistan |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 33°42′2″N73°5′34″E / 33.70056°N 73.09278°E /33.70056; 73.09278 |
| Elevation | 536 metres (1,759 ft) |
| Owner | Pakistan Sports Board |
| Executive suites | 26 |
| Capacity | 48,700 |
| Acreage | 45,000 sq. m |
| Surface | Natural grass |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1970s |
| Architect | China State Construction Engineering |
| Tenants | |
| Pakistan national football team (1986–present) | |
| Website | |
| www | |
Jinnah Sports Stadium (Urdu:جناح سپورٹس سٹیڈیم) is amulti-purpose stadium inIslamabad,Pakistan. It is currently mostly used forfootball matches and serves as the home venue for thePakistan national football team. The stadium has a capacity of 48,700 people,[1] and is the largest stadium in Pakistan. The stadium is owned by thePakistan Sports Board.[2] The stadium is part of thePakistan Sports Complex which also housesLiaquat Gymnasium, a gymnasium sports complex for indoor sports.[3][4]
Named after Pakistan's founderMuhammad Ali Jinnah, the stadium was built in the 1970s byChinese State Construction Engineering for hosting the1978 Asian Games, which were ultimately shifted toBangkok.[4][3] TheLiaquat Gymnasium nearby was formally inaugurated as part of the complex when Pakistan played host to the seventh1984 Asian Table Tennis Championships.[4]
In 1986, it hosted the1986 Quaid-e-Azam International Tournament for football matches. The stadium was first renovated and used for theSouth Asian Games in1989.[5] The same year, it also hosted the1990 FIFA World Cup qualification where Pakistan participated for the first time.[6]
The stadium was once again chosen as a venue for the South Asian Games when Pakistan again hosted the event in2004.[7] Apart from being one of the main venues of several national sports events such as theNational Games of Pakistan,[8]Quaid-e-Azam Inter Provincial Youth Games,[9][10] or football events such as thePakistan Premier League and theNational Women Football Championship,[11][12][13][14][15][16][17] the stadium has been a regular home venue for thePakistan national football team since the 1980s. In 2014, the stadium hosted the2014 SAFF Women's Championship for thePakistan women national football team.[18]
The stadium was first renovated to serve as host for theSouth Asian Games in1989 with help of Chinese engineers.[5]
After years of inactivity due to the ban onPakistan Football Federation byFIFA, the stadium served as host after 11 years since Pakistan ever held an international football event, for the2026 FIFA World Cup qualification on 17 October 2023, which resulted in Pakistan's first ever victory in a World Cup qualifying match againstCambodia. Due to the scarcity of stadiums in Pakistan meeting FIFA standards, the stadium was refurbished including the grass, goalposts.[19] For the matches at the next round, the stadium went more reforms upgrading thefloodlights and seats.[20]
While football, baseball, and athletics have been the main international sports hosted at Jinnah Sports Stadium, the broader Islamabad Sports Complex has also hosted the1984 Asian Table Tennis Championships and the1988 Asian Wrestling Championships.[21][22]
TheNational Games held in Islamabad from June 28 to July 4, 2013 took place at the Pakistan Sports Complex, with a colourful opening ceremony at Jinnah Stadium, inaugurated by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq. Around 2000 athletes from provincial and departmental teams competed across 29 Olympic sports, bringing a major multi-sport event back to the capital. Despite organisational challenges including disputes between factions of thePakistan Olympic Association, the Games went ahead successfully. Pakistan Army emerged as the top-performing contingent, securing the overall winners’ trophy, while WAPDA and Punjab remained strong competitors throughout the week. Even with the off-field controversy, the Islamabad event became one of the city’s most significant sporting gatherings of the decade, showcasing national athletic talent and energising the country’s sports community.[8][23][24]
The stadium was the venue for the1986 Quaid-e-Azam International Tournament.[25]
| Date | Team #1 | Res. | Team #2 | Round | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 April 1986 |  Pakistan Greens | 1–0 |  Sri Lanka | Group stage | N/A |
| 25 April 1986 |  China | 5–0 |  Nepal | Group stage | N/A |
| 26 April 1986 | Pakistan Greens | 1–0 |  South Korea XI | Group stage | N/A |
| 26 April 1986 | Pakistan Whites | 0–7 | China | Group stage | N/A |
| 27 April 1986 | Nepal | 2–2 | Sri Lanka | Group stage | N/A |
| 27 April 1986 | Pakistan Whites | 0–4 | South Korea XI | Group stage | N/A |
| 28 April 1986 | Pakistan Whites | 2–3 | Sri Lanka | Group stage | N/A |
| 28 April 1986 | Pakistan Greens | 0–3 | China | Group stage | N/A |
| 29 April 1986 | South Korea XI | 5–0 | Nepal | Group stage | N/A |
| 30 April 1986 | South Korea XI | 4–0 | Sri Lanka | Group stage | N/A |
| 30 April 1986 | Pakistan Greens | 7–0 | Pakistan Whites | Group stage | N/A |
| 1 May 1986 | China | 3–0 | Sri Lanka | Group stage | N/A |
| 1 May 1986 | Pakistan Whites | 0–2 | Nepal | Group stage | N/A |
| 2 May 1986 | Pakistan Greens | 5–0 | Nepal | Group stage | N/A |
| 2 May 1986 | China | 1–1 | South Korea XI | Group stage | N/A |
The stadium was the venue for the1989 South Asian Games.[26]
| Date | Team #1 | Res. | Team #2 | Round | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 October 1989 |  Maldives | 0–0 | Nepal | Group stage | N/A |
| 21 October 1989 |  Bangladesh | 3–0 | Sri Lanka | Group stage | N/A |
| 22 October 1989 | Pakistan | 0–0 | Nepal | Group stage | N/A |
| 23 October 1989 | Bangladesh | 1–1 |  India | Group stage | N/A |
| 24 October 1989 | Pakistan | 2–0 | Maldives | Group stage | N/A |
| 25 October 1989 | India | 2–1 | Sri Lanka | Group stage | N/A |
| 26 October 1989 | India | 2–1 | Nepal | Bronze medal match | N/A |
| 26 October 1989 | Pakistan | 1–0 | Bangladesh | Gold medal match | N/A |
The stadium was the venue for the2004 South Asian Games.[27]
| Date | Team #1 | Res. | Team #2 | Round | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 April 2004 | Pakistan | 1–0 | Bangladesh | Group stage | N/A |
| 1 April 2004 | India | 2–0 |  Afghanistan | Group stage | N/A |
| 3 April 2004 | India | 4–1 |  Bhutan | Knockout stage | N/A |
| 3 April 2004 | Pakistan | 1–1 | Sri Lanka | Knockout stage | N/A |
| 5 April 2004 | Sri Lanka | 0–0 | Bhutan | Bronze medal match | N/A |
| 5 April 2004 | Pakistan | 1–0 | India | Gold medal match | 37,000 |
The stadium was the venue for the2014 SAFF Women's Championship.[28]
| Date | Team #1 | Res. | Team #2 | Round | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 November 2014 | Pakistan | 1–2 | Sri Lanka | Group stage | 6,500 |
| 12 November 2014 | Nepal | 8–0 | Bhutan | Group stage | 2,000 |
| 13 November 2014 | India | 8–0 | Maldives | Group stage | 250 |
| 13 November 2014 | Bangladesh | 6–1 | Afghanistan | Group stage | 5,000 |
| 14 November 2014 | Sri Lanka | 3–0 | Bhutan | Group stage | 500 |
| 14 November 2014 | Pakistan | 0–2 | Nepal | Group stage | 1,700 |
| 15 November 2014 | Maldives | 1–0 | Afghanistan | Group stage | 2,000 |
| 15 November 2014 | India | 5–1 | Bangladesh | Group stage | 2,000 |
| 16 November 2014 | Nepal | 3–0 | Sri Lanka | Group stage | 600 |
| 16 November 2014 | Pakistan | 4–1 | Bhutan | Group stage | 4,000 |
| 17 November 2014 | Afghanistan | 0–12 | India | Group stage | 2,000 |
| 17 November 2014 | Maldives | 1–3 | Bangladesh | Group stage | 900 |
| 19 November 2014 | India | 5–0 | Sri Lanka | Semi-finals | 2,000 |
| 19 November 2014 | Nepal | 1–0 | Bangladesh | Semi-finals | 5,000 |
| 21 November 2014 | India | 6–0 | Nepal | Final | 8,000 |
The Marka-e-Haq (“Battle of Truth”) Ceremony, held on 13 August 2025 in Islamabad, marked Pakistan's 78thIndependence Day and celebrated its recentmilitary victory in the Marka-e-Haq conflict. Attended by PresidentAsif Ali Zardari, Prime MinisterShehbaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff Field MarshalAsim Munir, and foreign dignitaries, the event featured military parades including contingents from Türkiye and Azerbaijan, an aerial fly-past by thePakistan Air Force, cultural performances, fireworks, and the unveiling of a commemorative monument. In his address, the Prime Minister called for national unity through a “Charter of Pakistan’s Stability” and announced the creation of the Army Rocket Force Command.Earlier in the day, a grand defense exhibition atShakarparian showcased military hardware from the conflict, while nationwide celebrations honored martyrs and reaffirmed Pakistan's sovereignty.[29][30][31][32]