President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the opening ceremony of the Khankendi City Stadium following its major renovation.
As İdman.Biz reports, citing AZERTAC, Minister of Youth and Sports Farid Gayibov briefed the head of state on the facilities and conditions created at the sports venue.
It was noted that Khankendi City Stadium was commissioned in 1956. In 2023, following an anti-terrorist operation conducted by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, the city was liberated from Armenian occupation. Major renovation work on the stadium began afterwards.
Following the reconstruction, the stadium has been brought into compliance with UEFA Category 3 standards. The area of the sports facility has been expanded to 3.39 hectares.
The stadium has a total seating capacity of 8,554 spectators. Of these, 8,214 are standard seats, while 251 are reserved for VIP guests. In addition, 59 seats have been allocated for media representatives and 30 for people with disabilities.
The football pitch measures 105 metres in length and 68 metres in width and features an artificial turf surface. An athletics area has also been built around the pitch, featuring tracks and facilities for 100-metre sprints, races ranging from 200 to 10,000 metres, including steeplechase events, long jump and other athletics disciplines.
The stadium also features dedicated facilities for players, technical staff, referees, coaches and media representatives. A conference hall and a medical centre are also available at the venue.
The reopening of Khankendi City Stadium following its major renovation is presented as a clear example of the government's commitment to developing sports in Azerbaijan. The project plays an important role in expanding sports infrastructure in territories described by Azerbaijani authorities as liberated from occupation, while also demonstrating the country's attention to sport and the development of a healthy younger generation.
The construction of Olympic sports complexes, stadiums and other modern sports facilities across the regions further strengthens Azerbaijan's international reputation as a sporting nation. Azerbaijan continues to host prestigious international sporting competitions, while major international sports organisations are showing interest in holding their events in the country.
In this regard, mention can be made of the FIFA U-15 Boys' World Cup and Festival, organised in Azerbaijan for the first time, as well as the FIFA U-20 Men's World Cup, which is scheduled to take place next year.
