Gəncə Şəhər Stadionu – historical stadium description

The main stadium in Ganja (known as Kirovabad during the Soviet era) was built between 1959 and 1963 and opened in 1964. The facility was known as the City Stadium (Şəhər Stadionu), but at different times it also carried the names Central and Metallurg.

The stadium’s main tenant was Kapaz PFK. In 1967, the team, then called Dynamo Kirovabad, was promoted to the top league of the USSR but was relegated after just one season. After Azerbaijan gained independence, Kapaz PFK won the national championship three times in the 1990s (1995, 1998, 1999).

The stadium featured an athletics track and fairly large, oval stands, which could accommodate over 26,000 spectators. By the 21st century, the facility was in a very poor technical condition, and discussions about a comprehensive modernization had been ongoing for some time.

Ultimately, it was decided to completely demolish the stadium and build a modern, football-specific arena in its place. The old stadium was closed in 2023, after which construction of its successor began. The new Gəncə Stadium was inaugurated on 27 September 2025 by the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev.