Mogadishu Stadium

Mogadishu Stadium
Location Mogadishu, Somalia
Coordinates Coordinates: 2°4′3.16″N 45°20′7.65″E / 2.0675444°N 45.3354583°E / 2.0675444; 45.3354583
Owner Federal Government of Somalia
Operator Somali Football Federation
Capacity 65,000
Surface Artificial turf
Scoreboard Yes
Construction
Opened 1978
Architect Somalia
Tenants
Somali League

Mogadishu Stadium is a stadium in Mogadishu, Somalia.

History

The facility was constructed in 1978 during the Siad Barre administration, with the assistance of Chinese engineers. Although Mogadishu Stadium was mainly used for hosting sporting activities, presidential addresses and political rallies, among other events, were also held there.[1]

In 1987, the popular singer Magool staged the famous "Mogadishu and Magool" concert at the facility. It was among the largest such musical events held at the time, with more than 45,000 people in attendance.

Following the start of the civil war in the early 1990s, the stadium was used as a base by various armed factions. A few football matches were from that period intermittently staged, but the facility remained under the control of militants.[2]

In 2006, FIFA financed the installation of a new artificial pitch at the Mogadishu Stadium. However, the venue along with other local facilities gradually incurred infrastructural damage.[3]

When the Al-Shabaab insurgent group laid siege to much of Mogadishu and other southern areas in 2008, it prohibited sporting activities. In August 2011, during the Battle of Mogadishu (2010–2011), the Somali National Army (SNA) backed by AMISOM troops recaptured the capital and stadium from the militants.[4]

In 2013, the newly established Federal Government of Somalia began renovating the stadium in conjunction with Chinese officials.[5]

By 2015, the artificial turf had been refurbished. The stadium also began again serving as one of the main sporting venues in the capital for Somali League football matches.[3]

Renovations

In September 2013, the Somali federal government and its Chinese counterpart signed an official bilateral cooperation agreement in Mogadishu as part of a five-year national recovery plan in Somalia. Under the terms of the accord, the Chinese authorities were slated to reconstruct several major infrastructural landmarks in the Somalian capital and elsewhere, including the Mogadishu Stadium.[5]

Capacity and facilities

Mogadishu Stadium has a capacity of 65,000 spectators. It features a tournament ground, as well as grounds for track and field, football, basketball, volleyball and tennis.

Notes

  1. ↑ Daily report: People's Republic of China, Issues 53-61, (National Technical Information Service: 1986)
  2. ↑ "Somali football stadium: African Union urged to leave". BBC. 18 October 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  3. 1 2 "Somalia set for two new development projec". Goobjoog. 3 February 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  4. ↑ "Somali football stadium: African Union agrees to leave". BBC. 19 October 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  5. 1 2 "Somalia: Gov't, China Officially Sign Cooperation Agreement". Dalsan Radio. 9 September 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2015.

References

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