Zayed Sports City Stadium

Zayed Sports City Stadium, is an iconic multi-purpose stadium located in Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.It is the largest stadium in the UAE with more than 43,000 seats. It has developed a great history and heritage and has cemented its place in the country's history by being featured on the AED 200 banknote.The stadium was opened in 1979 and has recently been renovated, with many of the facilities and amenities upgraded to ensure that it complies with international standards and can be used for a wide range of events.The stadium hosted the 1996 AFC Asian Cup including the final, where the United Arab Emirates lost against Saudi Arabia in penalty shoot-outs. The stadium also hosted the 2007 Gulf Cup of Nations final between the United Arab Emirates and Oman. The semi finals and finals of 2009 and 2010 FIFA Club World Cup were also held at the stadium. The stadium will also be hosting some of the 2017 and 2018 FIFA Club World Cup and 2019 AFC Asian Cup matches alongside five other stadiums.HistoryDevelopmentGuided by the belief of the President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan in the role of sports toward youth and preparing them to perform their future role in building their country, directions were issued to the Town Planning Department in 1974 to build a comprehensive sports complex of high international standards in Abu Dhabi.