Basra Sports City

Basra Sports City (Arabic: مدينة البصرة الرياضية‎) is a sports complex in Basra, Southern Iraq.

Basra International Stadium
Exterior of the stadium at night
Full nameBasra International Stadium
LocationSouthern Basra, Iraq
Coordinates30°26′25″N 47°46′51″E
OwnerGovernment of Iraq
Capacity65,227[1][2]
Acreage2,770,000 GSF
SurfaceTrack & Field (Grass)
Construction
Broke ground1 January 2009
Built2009–2013
Opened12 October 2013
Construction cost£550 Million
Architect360 Architecture And Newport Global
Project managerNewport Global
Structural engineerThornton Tomasetti
Services engineerAbdullah Al-Jaburi
Main contractorsAbdullah Al-Jaburi
Tenants
Iraq national football team
Al-Mina'a SC
Naft Al-Junoob SC

Overview

Its construction started on 1 January 2009 and was completed on 12 October 2013. The sports city is being funded by the government of Iraq with a budget of $550 million, contributed to contain the 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.[3][4]

The contract of this project was given to Abdullah Al-Jaburi, a major Iraqi construction contractor, and two American companies, 360 architecture and Newport Global.[5]

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.[6][7] 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. [8][5]

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. [9]

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. [10]

  • 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 soft opening ceremony
  • Soft opening match between Zamalek and Al-Zawra'a
  • View of the secondary stadium next to the main stadium
  • Exterior view of the stadium at night

See also

References
  1. http://www.gpsmartstadium.com/portfolio-view/basra-sports-city-stadium/
  2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2Wc-fkjhpI
  3. "Building 4 Olympic stadiums in Iraq". Al-Arabiya. 27 May 2012.
  4. Andrew S. Ross (2009-11-12). "S.F. firm to help design Basra soccer stadium". SFGate. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
  5. Muret, Don (2 February 2009). "360 Architecture sees an opportunity in Iraq". www.sportsbusinessdaily.com. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
  6. 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.
  7. "Basrah Sports City | Thornton Tomasetti". www.thorntontomasetti.com. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
  8. "50 companies compete to design sports city in Basra". Archived from the original on 28 September 2008. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  9. "History is made as Iraq beat Jordan in the first game at Basra Sports City" (PDF). Iraqi-Football.com.
  10. "Iraq 2-0 Hong Kong: Iraq hosts competitive football for first time in eight years". BBC Sport. 2019-10-10. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
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