.jpg) The stadium in 2019 | |
 Interactive map of Rizal Memorial Stadium | |
| Full name | Rizal Memorial Track and Football |
|---|---|
| Location | Manila, Philippines |
| Coordinates | 14°33′48.25″N120°59′31.20″E / 14.5634028°N 120.9920000°E /14.5634028; 120.9920000 |
| Public transit |   Vito Cruz 5 6 7 14 17 23 24 25 27 34 38 40 42 48 49 53 P. Ocampo |
| Owner | City Government of Manila |
| Operator | Philippine Sports Commission |
| Capacity | 12,873 |
| Field size | 105x68 m[2] |
| Surface | Limonta Sport artificial turf (FIFA-certified) |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1934 |
| Renovated | 1953, 1981, 1991, 2005, 2011, 2019, 2021, 2025 |
| Architect | Juan Arellano[1] |
| Tenants | |
| Philippines national football team Philippines women's national football team Philippines Football League PFF Women's League Copa Paulino Alcantara University Athletic Association of the Philippines National Collegiate Athletic Association (Philippines) | |
TheRizal Memorial Track and Football Stadium (simply known as theRizal Memorial Stadium) is a stadium inManila,Philippines. Part of theRizal Memorial Sports Complex which is designated by theNational Historical Commission of the Philippines as a historical landmark, it served as the main stadium of the1954 Asian Games and theSoutheast Asian Games on three occasions. The stadium is the official home of the Philippines national football teams and domestic matches.
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Since the 1930s, it has hosted all major local football tournaments and some international matches.[a] When a new tartan track was laid out at the oval for the country's initial hosting of the 1981 Southeast Asian Games, the venue became a hub for athletics and the football pitch's condition slowly deteriorated.[3] It eventually became unsuitable for international matches which meant thePhilippine national team would have to play their home games at an alternate venue.
In 2010, thePhilippine Sports Commission (PSC) partnered with theDe La Salle University to refurbish the stadium's football pitch.[4] The stadium had undergone a major renovation program with thePhilippine Football Federation (PFF) spend₱3.4 million for the renovation of the locker rooms, comfort rooms, and the fiberglass seats.[5] The renovation was completed in 2011 and was first used for the game ofAzkals againstSri Lanka in2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers round on July 3, 2011 which was the first international football game held at the stadium in the decades,[5][6] where the Philippine national team won 4-0 overall.[4][7][6] However, the pitch (which was a natural grass) deteriorated again due to the number of football and rugby events,[8] that led the PSC to convert it into an artificial turf in 2014.[8][9] In 2015, its football pitch received the 2-star accreditation fromFIFA, making it the first football pitch in the Philippines to have it.[10]
The stadium has undergone a major renovation after it was designated as the venue for the men's football event of the2019 Southeast Asian Games[11][12] New individual seats are to be installed in the spectator area of the stadium outside the main grandstand.[11] The renovation also includes the upgrading of its rubberized track oval.[13] The renovation will be funded from the₱842.5 million given by thePhilippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation to the Philippine Sports Commission.[14]
In early 2025, the stadium's artificial pitch was replaced with a new one within a month and tested on April 11.[15][16][17][18][19]
Rizal Memorial has hosted several regional athletic meets, among the firsts being the1934 Far Eastern Championship Games, the precursor of theAsian Games. It then went on to host the1954 Asian Games. Aside from the athletic events, it also served as the main stadium for both of the multi-sport events. It also hosted the athletic events of the2005 Southeast Asian Games andASEAN Para Games.
It hosted regional athletic championships, hostingAsian Athletics Championships twice in1993 and2003. On a national level, the stadium has served as the venue for thePhilippine Athletics Championships several times.
Rizal Memorial is the home to thePhilippines Football League, hosting matches since the league's inaugural season in 2017, hosting matches during the2017 Philippines Football League,2018 Philippines Football League,2019 Philippines Football League,2022–23 Philippines Football League, and the2024–25 Philippines Football League. It also hosts the matches for theCopa Paulino Alcantara. The football tournaments for theNational Collegiate Athletics Association andUniversity Athletic Association of the Philippines are held in the stadium. The2023 PFF Women's League was also held at the stadium.
One of the first events held in the stadium is the football tournament of the1934 Far Eastern Championship Games. The opening match between the Philippines and China on 12 May 1934 drew an estimated crowd of 40,000 people. China won the match 2–1, and eventually won the title.[20] Other football tournaments of regional multi-sport events includes the1954 Asian Games, the1981,1991, and2019 Southeast Asian Games.
In1966 and1970, theAFC Youth Championship was held at Rizal Memorial.
The2012 and2014 Philippine Peace Cup were held in the stadium.
AFC Champions League tournaments were also held in the stadium:
Other events held at the stadium:
| Edition | Date | Time | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Spectators |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 AFF Suzuki Cup | 25 November 2016 | 20:00 UTC+8 |  Singapore | 1–2 |  Indonesia | Group stage | 467 |
| 2022 AFF Championship | 23 December 2022 | 18:00 UTC+8 |  Philippines | 5–1 |  Brunei | Group stage | 1,650 |
| 2 January 2023 | 20:30 UTC+8 | Philippines | 1–2 | Indonesia | 2,370 | ||
| 2024 ASEAN Championship | 12 December 2024 | 18:30 UTC+8 | Philippines | 1–1 |  Myanmar | Group stage | 1,589 |
| 18 December 2024 | 21:00 UTC+8 | Philippines | 1–1 |  Vietnam | 3,346 | ||
| 27 December 2024 | 21:00 UTC+8 | Philippines | 2–1 |  Thailand | Semifinals Leg 1 | 10,087 |
| Date | Time | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Spectators |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 July 2022 | 16:00 UTC+8 | Singapore | 0–0 |  Malaysia | Group stage | 235 |
| 19:00 UTC+8 | Philippines | 1–0 |  Australia | 1,408 | ||
| 6 July 2022 | 16:00 UTC+8 | Thailand | 2–2 | Australia | 207 | |
| 19:00 UTC+8 | Philippines | 7–0 | Singapore | 647 | ||
| 8 July 2022 | 16:00 UTC+8 | Australia | 4–0 | Indonesia | ||
| 19:00 UTC+8 | Malaysia | 0–4 | Philippines | 429 | ||
| 10 July 2022 | 16:00 UTC+8 | Singapore | 1–4 | Australia | 334 | |
| 19:00 UTC+8 | Philippines | 4–1 | Indonesia | 1,464 | ||
| 12 July 2022 | 16:00 UTC+8 | Thailand | 1–0 | Philippines | 2,923 | |
| 13 July 2022 | 19:00 UTC+8 | Vietnam | 4–0 | Myanmar | 157 | |
| 15 July 2022 | 16:00 UTC+8 | Thailand | 2–0 | Myanmar | Semi-finals | |
| 20:00 UTC+8 | Vietnam | 0–4 | Philippines | 3,233 | ||
| 17 July 2022 | 16:00 UTC+8 | Myanmar | 4–3 | Vietnam | Third place match | |
| 19:30 UTC+8 | Thailand | 0–3 | Philippines | Final | 8,257 |
| Date | Time | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Spectators |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 November 2023 | 19:00 UTC+8 | Philippines | 0–2 | Vietnam | Second round | 10,378 |
| 21 November 2023 | 19:00 UTC+8 | Philippines | 1–1 | Indonesia | 9,880 | |
| 26 March 2024 | 19:00 UTC+8 | Philippines | 0–5 |  Iraq | 10,014 |
The first internationalrugby test in the stadium was held when the Philippines hosted the2012 Asian Five Nations Division I tournament, which doubled as a qualifying tournament for the2015 Rugby World Cup; the goal posts were erected just days prior to the tournament.[21]
On July 4, 1966, the Rizal Memorial Stadium hosted two sold-out concerts ofthe Beatles. The combined attendance was 80,000 with the evening concert registering 50,000 paying audience and becoming the Beatles' second-biggest concert ever.[22]
Add to this, a celebrity had concert in this Stadium “The Vic Damone Show” held on 24 December 1960. A huge audience attended his concert in the evening.
| Date | Headlining artist | Concert or tour | Opening acts | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 July 1966 | The Beatles | Asian Tour 1966 | Reycard Duet, Wing Duo,Pilita Corrales | est 50,000 |
| 16 December 1978 | Asin | |||
| 15 February 1992 | New Kids on the Block | No More Games Tour | ||
| 11 December 1985 | Pops Fernandez | Always Pops |
During the government's"Hatid Tulong" program, the stadium was used as the designated temporary holding place for Locally Stranded Individuals (LSIs).[23][24] With the stadium being full, many other individuals who availed of the said program ended up sleeping and gathering outside.
The track and field stadium will look like a dalaga [unmarried woman]" before the 60-year-old Southeast Asian Games opens at the Philippine Arena in November this year, Ramirez says. Its faded bleachers will be repainted, its rubberized track, where legendary runners Mona Sulaiman and Lydia de Vega trained, will be upgraded.
| Preceded by | Asian Athletics Championships Venue 1993 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Asian Athletics Championships Venue 2003 | Succeeded by |