Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium

Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium

Full name	Tofiq Bəhramov adına Respublika Stadionu
Former names	Joseph Stalin Stadium (1951–1956) Vladimir Lenin Stadium (1956–1993)
Location	Baku, Azerbaijan
Coordinates	40°23′50″N 49°51′9″E
Public transit	Ganjlik
Owner	AFFA
Capacity	31,200[1]
Record attendance	50,000 (Neftçi 3–1 Galatasaray, 11 July 1960) 45,000 (Neftçi 3–0 Spartak Moscow, 30 November 1966)
Field size	105 by 68 metres (115 by 74 yd)
Surface	Grass
Scoreboard	Yes
Construction
Built	1939–1951
Opened	16 September 1951
Renovated	2011–2012
Expanded	2011–2012
Tenants
Neftçi (1951–2014) Qarabağ Azerbaijan national football team

The Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium (Azerbaijani: Tofiq Bəhramov adına Respublika Stadionu) is a multi-purpose stadium in Baku, Azerbaijan. It is currently used mostly for football matches. It served as the home ground for the Azerbaijan national football team until they moved to the Baku Olympic Stadium. It holds 31,200 seats making it the second largest stadium in the country.^[2] The stadium is also used by the Azerbaijan Premier League clubs in the final rounds of European competitions.

History

The Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium was built in 1951. Its construction started before World War II in 1939, but was suspended. When its construction resumed, it was finished by German prisoners of war. Initially the stadium was named after Joseph Stalin (1878–1953) and built in form of C (Cyrillic: Cтaлин). After the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1956 it was renamed after Vladimir Lenin (1870–1924) as a part of de-Stalinization. In 1993, the stadium was named after the famous football referee Tofiq Bahramov (1925–1993) who died in the same year.

In 2011, the Presidential Reserve Fund of the State Budget of Azerbaijan for 2011 allocated $10 million for capital repairs and reconstruction of the stadium as it could be used as potential venue for Eurovision Song Contest 2012.^[3][4] During a reconstruction process, the number of seats were increased from 29870 to 31200 and the grass cover football stadium was properly renewed according to FİFA standards. In addition, the projectors which were used to light the stadium were also renewed with innovative and modern technologies. President Ilham Aliyev attended the opening of the Tofig Bahramov Republican Stadium after major overhaul and reconstruction on 16 August 2012.^[5]

The stadium was one of the venues for the group stages of the 2012 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. One Group A match, a semi-final and the final were played there.^[6]

Events

The athletics competitions of the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) was held at the stadium between July 22 and 27, 2019.

The stadium also hosted archery at 2015 European Games.^[7]

Aside from sporting uses, several concerts have been played at Tofiq Bahramov, with such big names as Shakira, Elton John, Jennifer Lopez and Tarkan playing.^{[8][9][10][11]}

Concerts

Concerts at the Tofiq Bahramov Stadium
Date	Artist	Tour	Attendance
30 June 2006	Tarkan	Solo Concert	55,000[12]
10 June 2007	Aygun Kazimova	Solo Concert	29,000[13]
23 September 2007	Elton John	The Captain and the Kid Tour	32,000[14]
22 September 2012	Jennifer Lopez	2012 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup	30,000[15]
13 October 2012	Shakira	2012 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup	40,000[16]
19 April 2013	Konul Khasiyeva	Solo Concert	15,000[17]

Gallery

• 
  Panorama of the stadium.
• 
  The view of the stadium from satellite.
• 
  Qarabağ FK during the Europa League qualifier match.
• 
  Big flag of Azerbaijan during the Europa League group match.

See also

• List of football stadiums in Azerbaijan
• Baku Olympic Stadium
• Tofiq Bahramov

References

1. Dövlət başçısı Tofiq Bəhramov adına stadionunun açılışında iştirak edib (fotoreportaj), retrieved 16 August 2012 Archived 15 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine
2. Stadium for 60,000 seats to be built in Baku Archived 2011-10-03 at the Wayback Machine
3. "AZN 10 million financed for overhaul of potential venue of Eurovision 2012". Archived from the original on 10 July 2011. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
4. "Azerbaijan: Buildings Commissioned & Upgraded in Baku". Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
5. "Azərbaycan Prezidentinin Rəsmi internet səhifəsi – XƏBƏRLƏR » Tədbirlər". president.az (in Azerbaijani). Retrieved 2018-07-13.
6. "France end Asian domination". fifa.com. FIFA. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
7. "Tofiq Bahramov the story behind the Stadium". www.insidethegames.biz. 27 May 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
8. "Rihanna and Shakira to perform in Baku". ann.az. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
9. "Shakira: "I expect grandiose shows on October 13–14 in Baku"". en.apa.az. APA News Agency. Archived from the original on 20 April 2016. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
10. "ELTON JOHN GIVES CONCERT AT TOFIG BAHRAMOV STADIUM IN BAKU. PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN ILHAM ALIYEV AND HIS SPOUSE MEHRIBAN ALIYEVA ATTEND THE CONCERT". www.mehriban-aliyeva.org. Archived from the original on 13 August 2014. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
11. Warrick, Joby (15 October 2012). "Tiny Azerbaijan unleashes pop-power against Iran's mullahs". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 21 July 2013. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
12. "Tarkan Concert Statistics". www.tarkancoll.com. Archived from the original on 14 April 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
13. "Aygün Kazımova tamaşaçıya maşın bağışlayacaq". az.trend.az (in Azerbaijani). June 2007. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
14. "ELTON JOHN GIVES CONCERT AT TOFIG BAHRAMOV STADIUM IN BAKU. PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN ILHAM ALIYEV AND HIS SPOUSE MEHRIBAN ALIYEVA ATTEND THE CONCERT". www.mehriban-aliyeva.org. Archived from the original on 13 August 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
15. "J-Lo and the circus in pictures". www.fifa.com. Archived from the original on August 15, 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
16. "Shakira Rocks Baku at FIFA U-17 Women's WC". www.argophilia.com. 16 October 2012. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
17. "Könül Xasıyevanın konsertində "Mercedes" fırıldağı". musavat.com (in Azerbaijani). Retrieved 13 August 2014.

Preceded by Hasely Crawford Stadium Port of Spain

FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Final Venue 2012

Succeeded by Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica San José