Hong Kong Stadium

Hong Kong Stadium

Po Tou (埔頭)
Hong Kong Stadium as seen from Tai Hang Road
Former names	Government Stadium
Location	So Kon Po, Wanchai, Hong Kong
Owner	Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Operator	Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Capacity	40,000
Field size	105 x 68 metres
Surface	Grass
Construction
Opened	1953
Renovated	1994
Construction cost	US$ 85.1 million
Architect	HOK Sport
Tenants
Hong Kong national football team Hong Kong Pegasus (2015–present)

Hong Kong Stadium is the main sports venue of Hong Kong. Redeveloped from the old Government Stadium, it reopened as Hong Kong Stadium in March 1994. It has a maximum seating capacity of 40,000, including 18,257 at the main level, 3,153 at executive level, 18,507 upper level seats and 57 seats for wheelchair users.

The stadium is located in So Kon Po, Hong Kong Island, a valley near Causeway Bay. Most international football matches held in Hong Kong are held at this stadium. It is also the location for the Hong Kong Sevens rugby sevens tournament. Hong Kong Stadium also hosted the Rugby World Cup Sevens twice, in 1997 and 2005.

So Kon Po was formerly the burial ground for the 1918 fire at Happy Valley Racecourse. Then the Hong Kong Government moved all the tombs to Aberdeen. The old Government Stadium was a U-shaped constructed by 1953 and had a capacity of 28,000 with partially covered seating. It witnessed the best times of Hong Kong football in the 60s and 70s. At the time, the stadium would be packed full of spectators when a top of the league clash happened and a red flag would be hoisted. Eager spectators without tickets would climb the hill behind the stadium to see the game.

The old Government Stadium was only partially covered, without sufficient seats or lighting systems. In the 90s, the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club proposed a reconstruction plan so that Hong Kong can have a world class sports stadium.

Even before the reconstruction, the Government Stadium was Hong Kong's most important sports venue, with a clay running track around the football field. As the focus on the design was for football only, the track went to 450m, 50m longer than standard. Numerous schools held their athletic meetings here.

In the early 1990s, the Government Stadium was reconstructed into a 40,000-seat rectangular stadium. No running track was built due to the restricted land size. This forced the schools to look for alternative venues.