Baghdad International Stadium – construction description

How did the construction of Baghdad International Stadium come about?

After the American invasion of the early 21st century, Iraq allocated considerable resources for investment, including investment in sports infrastructure. The flagship project in this regard was to be the construction of a huge, representative stadium in Baghdad. The ambitious concept, created by AMBS Architects, called for the construction of a multipurpose facility capable of holding 100,000 spectators. An entire sports complex was to be built around the venue.

What will Baghdad International Stadium be like?

The architectural concept of Baghdad International Stadium can be seen on a separate subpage

The ambitious vision was eventually scaled down, with a decision to choose a design for a 60,000-seat capacity stadium. The rest of the funds were reallocated to support the construction of smaller venues. With stands for 60,000 people, however, the new stadium will still be the leading sports facility in the country, rivaled only by Basra International Stadium. The stadium's layout is inspired by Arabic architecture and Islamic design.

How is the construction of Baghdad International Stadium progressing?

The site for the stadium was selected in Al Tajiat, a northern suburb of Baghdad. The Iranian company Boland Payeh became the main contractor, and the value of the contract was about 227.53 billion Iraqi dinars. The investment is being carried out and financed by the Iraqi Ministry of Youth and Sports. Construction work began in 2012.

In 2015, due to the ongoing hostilities in Iraq and the financial crisis, work was halted, and the unfinished frame of the stadium stands remained on the construction site (the site was completely abandoned in 2016). Construction resumed in the fall of 2018, but work stopped again in 2019. In the meantime, a new name was introduced: Baghdad International Stadium (instead of Al Tajiat Stadium, although this one also remains in use).

The resumption of construction was announced on March 11, 2024, with Iran's Boland Payeh still serving as the contractor. There are also reports of a contemplated change in the design, according to which the stadium would be built without the athletics track, and its place would be taken by additional lower rows of stands, which would increase its capacity to 90-95,000 spectators.