Addis Ababa National Stadium – design description

The concept of national stadium for Ethiopia was part of an international competition in 2012. The sports-leisure hub of Addis Ababa is to be built on a vast, mostly unused square of 67ha in eastern part of the city.

Most of the terrain will be taken by the primary stadium and its parking infrastructure for 10,000 cars, together consuming 37ha. The remainder will be used to provide football, volleyball and basketball fields, together with a swimming pool and smaller facilities.

The stadium for 62,000 fans will be covered by a distinctive dome. With a dynamic steel structure, the roof will be covered in decorated tensile membrane panels. All facilities are to meet FIFA and World Athletics requirements.

Construction began in 2016, with Chinese State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) as the contractor. The venue was expected to be completed in 2022, but after 2020 the work started to slow down significantly, and in early 2023 the authorities decided to terminate the contract.

By that time, the massive reinforced concrete structure of the future stadium had already been built, but after the contract was terminated it was left abandoned. A new contract to complete the works was signed in March 2025 with China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), and the opening of the stadium is scheduled for 2027.