Ghazi Stadium

National football stadium of Afghanistan
Aerial view of the stadium in 2013
Full name	Ghazi Stadium
Location	District 16, Kabul, Afghanistan
Coordinates	34°31′07″N 69°11′38″E / 34.51861°N 69.19389°E / 34.51861; 69.19389
Owner	Afghanistan National Olympic Committee
Capacity	25,000[1]
Surface	Artificial turf
Construction
Built	1923; 101 years ago (1923)
Opened	1923
Renovated	2011
Tenants
Afghanistan national football team Afghanistan women's national football team Afghan Premier League (selected clubs) Kabul Premier League Women Kabul League

Ghazi Stadium (Pashto: غازي لوبغالی; Persian: ورزشگاه غازى) is a multi-purpose stadium located in eastern Kabul, Afghanistan, which is mainly used for association football matches.^[2] It is sometimes called by other names such as the Afghan Football Federation Stadium. It was built during the reign of King Amanullah Khan in 1923, who is regarded as Ghazi (Hero) for the Afghan victory in the Third Anglo-Afghan War and gaining independence for his nation after the Anglo-Afghan Treaty of 1919. The stadium has the capacity to accommodate 25,000 spectators after the installation of seats.

The stadium was renovated in 2011, the soil was replaced^[3] and artificial turf placed on top. The stadium now holds bigger sporting events.

Events

The first international match played inside Ghazi Stadium was a football (soccer) match between Afghanistan and Iran on January 1, 1941, the game was a draw with neither team scoring.^[1] In 1963, American musician Duke Ellington held a concert here as part of his tour sponsored by the US State Department.^[4]

During the late 1990s the stadium was used as a venue for public executions by the Taliban government.^[3]

The stadium is currently used mostly for football matches between teams from different provinces of the country as well as international matches.

The stadium has also housed training facilities for the country's national women's boxing team, as documented in the film The Boxing Girls of Kabul.^[5]

Upgrade

On December 15, 2011, the Afghanistan National Olympic Committee celebrated the re-opening of the newly renovated Ghazi in Kabul. Hosted by the Afghan Olympic Committee, the event was attended by U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker, Afghan Olympic President Lieutenant General Mohammad Zaher Aghbar, and Commander of International Security Assistance Force Afghanistan General John R. Allen.^[3]

The event, which also included nearly 5,000 spectators, featured a parade of athletes on the track, opening remarks, a ribbon cutting, and two abbreviated football matches involving both men's and women's football teams. The upgraded playing field will be FIFA certified allowing for future matches to be internationally sanctioned.^[3]