.jpg) The stadium in 2009 | |
 Interactive map of Aleppo International Stadium | |
| Full name | Aleppo International Stadium |
|---|---|
| Location | Salaheddine District,Aleppo, Syria |
| Coordinates | 36°11′06″N37°07′04″E / 36.18500°N 37.11778°E /36.18500; 37.11778 |
| Owner | Government of Syria |
| Operator | General Sports Federation of Syria |
| Capacity | 53,200[1] |
| Record attendance | 53,000 (Al-Ittihad vFenerbahçe; 3 April 2007) |
| Field size | 105 x 68 m |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1980 to 2007 |
| Opened | 3 April 2007 |
| Closed | 2012 |
| Construction cost | US$ 30,000,000 |
| Architect | Stanisław Kuś |
| Tenants | |
| Al-Ittihad SC (2007–2012) Syria national football team (2007–2012) | |
TheAleppo International Stadium (Arabic:ملعب حلب الدولي) is an Olympic-standard, multi-use, all-covered and all-seater stadium in theSyrian city ofAleppo. It is the largest stadium in Syria, and is currently used mostly forfootball matches.[2] It serves as the home ground ofAl-Ittihad football club.[3] The stadium has also hosted some home games of theSyrian national football team. The stadium was opened in 2007 and holds up to 53,200 spectators. The venue is located near the al-Hamadaniah Sports City in the southwestern part of Aleppo.[4]
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The construction of the stadium was launched in 1980, based on the design of thePolish ConstructorStanisław Kuś. It was scheduled to be completed in 1987 to become ready for the Mediterranean games. However, the construction process was stopped and delayed for 2 decades due to financial difficulties, until 2003.[citation needed]
Finally, after a record period of 27 years of construction, the stadium became ready in early 2007. Officially, the stadium was opened on 3 April 2007 with an inaugural friendly match betweenAl-Ittihad SC andFenerbahçe ofTurkey which ended in a 2–2 draw. The first goal scored in the stadium came at the 8th minute of the inaugural match, throughAbdul Fattah Al Agha. The Syrian presidentBashar Al Assad and Prime Minister of TurkeyRecep Tayyip Erdoğan attended the opening ceremony and the match.[5]
It was severely damaged during theSyrian Civil War. Its facade and many of its indoor facilities were completely destroyed, and the pitch and tribunes took significant damage, especially frommortar fire.[6]
The Syrian government started the process of repairing the stadium after the conclusion of theBattle of Aleppo (2012–2016).[6][7]Iran assisted Syria with repairs.[8] On 18 December 2024, a fire broke out in the stadium under unclear circumstances following thefall of the Assad regime.[9]
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The stadium has five levels: the first level is the sport ground itself, with its surrounding facilities, the second level consists of training halls, different facilities and support services. The rest three levels are designed to host the attendants' seats; the first tier holds up to 25,000 seats while the second and the third host 14,000 each. The VIP hall located on the third level, is designed and decorated with oriental wood-works.[10]
The stadium occupies an area of 3.5 hectares out of the 33 hectares of the whole sports complex. It is provided with two electronic screens (7X15 meters each). The stadium is all-covered with a pre-built concrete.[citation needed]
Al-Ittihad v
Fenerbahçe| 3 April 2007Friendly match | Al-Ittihad | 2–2 | Fenerbahçe | |
| 21:00UTC+2 | Report | Attendance: 53,000 |
Al-Ittihad v
Kazma| 15 September 2010Quarterfinals first leg | Al-Ittihad | 3–2 | Kazma | |
| 20:00 (UTC+3) | Dakka 45' (pen.)Al Ghabash 62'Shahrour 90' | Report | Aldafeeri 73' Laheeb 90+4' | Attendance: 34,400 Referee:Mohamed Al Zarouni (United Arab Emirates) |
Al-Ittihad v
Muangthong United| 19 October 2010Semifinals second leg | Al-Ittihad | 2 – 0 | Muangthong United | |
| 20:00 (UTC+3) | Al Hasan 27',41' | Report | Attendance: 48,000 Referee:Hiroyoshi Takayama (Japan) |
Syria v
China| 14 January 20092011 AFC Asian Cup qualification | Syria | 3–2 | China | |
| 14:00UTC+2 | Attendance: 7,000 Referee:Mohsen Torky (Iran) |
Syria v
Vietnam| 18 November 20092011 AFC Asian Cup qualification | Syria | 0–0 | Vietnam | |
| Attendance: 19,000 Referee:Abdullah Al Hilali (Oman) |
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