National football stadium

Many countries have a national sport stadium, which typically serves as the primary or exclusive home for one or more of a country's national representative sports teams. The term is most often used in reference to an association football stadium. Usually, a national stadium will be in or very near a country's capital city or largest city. It is generally (but not always) the country's largest and most lavish sports venue with a rich history of hosting a major moment in sports (e.g. FIFA World Cup, Olympics, etc.). In many, but not all cases, it is also used by a local team. Many countries, including Spain and the United States, do not have a national stadium designated as such; instead matches are rotated throughout the country. The lack of a national stadium can be seen as advantageous as designating a single stadium would limit the fan base capable of realistically attending matches as well as the concern of the cost of transportation, especially in the case of the United States due to its geographical size and high population.

A list of national stadiums follows:

Afghanistan

Albania

Algeria

American Samoa

Andorra

Angola

Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina

Armenia

Aruba

Australia

Australia does not have an official national stadium. The country's two largest stadiums, which host major domestic and international events, are:

Austria

Azerbaijan

Bahamas

Bahrain

Bangladesh

Barbados

Belarus

Belgium

Belize

Benin

Bermuda

Bhutan

Bolivia

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Botswana

Brazil

Brunei Darussalam

Bulgaria

Burkina Faso

Burundi

Cambodia

Cameroon

Canada

Prior to confederation into Canada, the Dominion of Newfoundland used King George V Park as its national stadium.

Cape Verde

Central African Republic

Chad

Chile

China

The China national football team does not have a national stadium. Mostly matches except major competitions are commonly held in alternate venues across the country. They are rarely played in Beijing due to concerns of security.[citation needed]

Colombia

Comoros

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Republic of the Congo

Cook Islands

Costa Rica

Croatia

There is no official national stadium. The following two stadiums are the largest and most commonly host international events:

Cuba

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Denmark

Djibouti

Dominica

Dominican Republic

East Timor

Ecuador

Egypt

El Salvador

Equatorial Guinea

Eritrea

Estonia

Eswatini

Ethiopia

Faroe Islands

Fiji

Finland

France

Gabon

The Gambia

Georgia

Germany

Ghana

Greece

Greenland

Grenada

Guatemala

Guinea

Guinea-Bissau

Guyana

Haiti

Honduras

Hong Kong

Hungary

Iceland

India

Indonesia

Iran

Iraq

Republic of Ireland

Team sports in Ireland are often governed by bodies representing both Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, on an All-Ireland basis. See the Northern Ireland section for other cases.

Stadium Owner Sports Notes
Aviva Stadium Irish Rugby Football Union
football Association of Ireland		 rugby union and association football The IRFU is all-island while the FAI is restricted to the Republic. The IRFU owns the land but the stadium built on it is jointly owned by both bodies.
Croke Park Gaelic Athletic Association Gaelic games and international rules football The GAA is all-island
Morton Stadium National Sports Campus Development Authority athletics Athletics Ireland is all-island, although Athletics Northern Ireland is linked to both Athletics Ireland and UK Athletics.
National Stadium Irish Amateur Boxing Association boxing The IABA is all-island
National Basketball Arena Basketball Ireland basketball Basketball Ireland is all-island
National Indoor Arena National Sports Campus Development Authority various indoor sports[4] Construction began at the National Sports Campus in 2015.[5]
National Aquatic Centre aquatics Swim Ireland uses but does not own the venue, which is part of the National Sports Campus.
National Horse Arena equestrianism Horse Sport Ireland uses but does not own the venue, which is part of the National Sports Campus.

The following venues are "designated national sporting arenas" for the purposes of Section 21 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2003 (which regulates sale of alcohol at sports venues):[6] National Stadium,[7] Croke Park,[8] Semple Stadium,[9] Royal Dublin Society,[10] Aviva Stadium,[11] Thomond Park.[12]

Israel

Italy

Ivory Coast

Jamaica

Japan

Jordan

Kazakhstan

Kenya

Kiribati

Republic of Korea

Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Kosovo

Kuwait

Kyrgyzstan

Latvia

Lesotho

Lebanon

Liberia

Libya

Liechtenstein

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Macau

Malawi

Malaysia

Maldives

Mali

Malta

Martinique

Mauritania

Mauritius

Mexico

Moldova

Monaco

Montenegro

Morocco

Myanmar

Namibia

Nepal

Netherlands

Nicaragua

Niger

Nigeria

Norway

North Macedonia

Oman

Pakistan

Palau

Panama

Papua New Guinea

Paraguay

Peru

Philippines

Poland

Portugal

Puerto Rico

Qatar

Romania

Russia

Rwanda

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

San Marino

Serbia

Singapore

Slovakia

Slovenia

There is no official national stadium or arena. International events are usually hosted in the largest stadium or arena in the country.

Somalia

Spain

Sierra Leone

South Africa

The national football, rugby union and cricket teams all play at various venues throughout South Africa. However, these are the de facto national stadiums:

Suriname

Sweden

Switzerland

Because Switzerland has a strong federalism opinion in most sports are no national stadiums.

Syria

Taiwan

Tajikistan

Tanzania

Thailand

Togo

Trinidad and Tobago

Turkey

Turkmenistan

Tunisia

Uganda

Ukraine

United Arab Emirates

United Kingdom

Team sports in the United Kingdom are often governed by bodies representing the Home Nations of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – with some sports organised on an All-Ireland basis. In international sporting events these sports are contested not by a team representing the United Kingdom, but by teams representing the separate home nations, and as a result there are separate national stadiums for many sports.

England

Northern Ireland

Scotland

Wales

United States

Uruguay

Uzbekistan

Vatican City

Stadio Petriana (football)—because the Vatican City does not have enough territory to house a sports stadium, Stadio Petriana is in fact situated within the bounds of Italy.

Venezuela

Vietnam

Zambia

Zimbabwe

References

  1. ^ "Canada: Development Activities". FIFA. Archived from the original on October 24, 2014. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  2. ^ "Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com.
  3. ^ "Eesti rahvusstaadion asub nüüd Jalgpalli tänaval". 2 May 2019.
  4. ^ "National Indoor Arena". National Sports Campus Development Authority. Archived from the original on 24 November 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  5. ^ O'Keeffe, Alan (18 July 2015). "Work starts on national arena for Olympic 2016 stars". Irish Independent. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  6. ^ "Intoxicating Liquor Act 2003: Amendments, Commencement, SIs made under the Act". Irish Statute Book. 16 November 2016. Other Associated Secondary Legislation. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  7. ^ "S.I. No. 156/2015 - Intoxicating Liquor Act 2003 (Designation of National Sporting Arena) (National Stadium) Regulations 2015". Irish Statute Book. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  8. ^ "S.I. No. 149/2011 - Intoxicating Liquor Act 2003 (Section 21) (Croke Park, Dublin) Regulations 2011". Irish Statute Book. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  9. ^ "S.I. No. 124/2011 - Intoxicating Liquor Act 2003 (Section 21) (Semple Stadium, Thurles) Regulations 2011". Irish Statute Book. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  10. ^ "S.I. No. 47/2012 - Intoxicating Liquor Act 2003 (Section 21) (Royal Dublin Society) Regulations 2012". Irish Statute Book. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  11. ^ "S.I. No. 160/2010 - Intoxicating Liquor Act 2003 (Section 21) Regulations 2010". Irish Statute Book. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  12. ^ "S.I. No. 388/2008 - Intoxicating Liquor Act 2003 (Section 21) Regulations 2008". Irish Statute Book. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  13. ^ RFK as our National Soccer Stadium: News Archived 2012-03-06 at the Wayback Machine. Match Fit USA (2009-10-20). Retrieved on 2011-12-24.
  14. ^ Bill Simmons "Every big American soccer game should be played in RFK." News: ESPN. Sports.espn.go.com (2009-10-16). Retrieved on 2011-12-24.