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Stepanakert Republican Stadium

Stepanakert Republican Stadium
Stepenakert view no.2, cropped.jpg
Former names Joseph Stalin Stadium
Stepan Shahumyan Central Stadium
Location Stepanakert
Republic of Artsakh Republic of Artsakh (de facto)
 Azerbaijan (de jure)
Coordinates 39°49′16″N 46°45′11″E / 39.82111°N 46.75306°E / 39.82111; 46.75306Coordinates: 39°49′16″N 46°45′11″E / 39.82111°N 46.75306°E / 39.82111; 46.75306
Owner Government of Nagorno-Karabakh
Operator Artsakh Football Federation
Capacity 12,000
Field size 110x70 meters
Surface artificial turf
Construction
Built 1955-1956
Opened 1956
Renovated 2004-2005
2015
Tenants
Artsakh national football team
Lernayin Artsakh FC

Stepanakert Republican Stadium (Armenian: Ստեփանակերտի Հանրապետական մարզադաշտ), is an all-seater multi-use stadium in Stepanakert, Republic of Artsakh. It is mostly used for football matches and is the home stadium of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh national football team and Lernayin Artsakh FC of Stepanakert. The stadium was built between 1955 and 1956. It was officially opened in 1956 as Joseph Stalin Stadium. Later, the name was changed to Stepan Shahumyan Central Stadium (after revolutionary Stepan Shaumian).

The stadium was entirely renovated in 2004–5 and renamed Stepanakert Republican Stadium. During the renovation, the venue was turned into an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 12,000 spectators.

With the most recent renovation in 2015, the natural grass was replaced with an artificial turf.

Since the mid-1990s, football teams from Karabakh started taking part in some domestic competitions in the Republic of Armenia. Lernayin Artsakh is the football club that represents the city of Stepanakert. The Artsakh football league was launched in 2009.

The Artsakh national football team was formed in 2012 and played their first competitive match against the Abkhazia national football team in Sokhumi, a match that ended with a result of 1-1 draw. The return match between the unrecognized teams took place at the Stepan Shahumyan Republican Stadium, on 21 October 2012, when the team of Nagorno-Karabakh defeated the Abkhazian team with a result of 3-0.

The entrance to the stadium

General view

The stadium in 2017


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