Al-Shaab Stadium 5.5

Al-Shaab Stadium is an All-seater multi-purpose stadium in Baghdad. The 34,200 seater was the home stadium of the Iraq national football team from its opening on 6 November 1966 until the Basra International Stadium was opened in 2013. The stadium is owned by the government of Iraq.Al-Shaab stadium hosted the 1979 Gulf Cup of Nations, the Arab Club Champions Cup in 1982 and 1985, the 1972 Palestine Cup of Nations and the World Military Cup on two occasions: in 1968 and 1972.Al-Shaab stadium was the largest stadium in Iraq until the Basra International Stadium, that has the capacity of 65,000 spectators, was opened in 2013.HistoryConstructionIn late 1959, a delegation from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation visited Former Prime Minister Abd al-Karim Qasim in his office, which was in the Ministry of Defense. The meeting contained an offer that the foundation presented to the government of Iraq. It was assigning a percentage of the steady grant of oil that is owned by the foundation to build projects in Baghdad. These projects included the Iraqi National Museum, the Iraqi National Theater, the Medical City and Al-Shaab Stadium.