The Baku Olympic Stadium is the largest sport structure in Azerbaijan.
The stadium was completed in February 2015 and was used as the main venue for the European Olympic Games held in Baku. The newly built structure hosted the opening and closing ceremony of the European Olympic Games and all the athletic competitions.
The 2015 Games edition was the first time Azerbaijan hosted this type of sports event.
The Opening Ceremony took place on Friday, June 12th, and the closing ceremony on Sunday, June 28th, 2015.
The Baku Olympic Stadium can accommodate 68,700. It was designed to meet the latest standards for stadiums, set by UEFA (Union of European Football Associations).
It is interesting to note that the foundation of the Baku Olympic Stadium was held on June 6th, 2011, as this date officially celebrates the 100th anniversary of Azerbaijani football.
A symbolic ball was also encapsulated in the foundation.
The stadium was funded by SOCAR, the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic, and was built by the Turkish firm Taken Construction and Installation Co. Inc. The Olympic Complex also included hotels, green areas, and parking spaces.
The complex features a very contemporary and somehow minimalist design, still conveying the modern spirit of the Azeri society and an elegant dynamism from the circling structure at the same time exercising functionality and elegant modular decoration.
The 225,000-square-meter stadium occupy then a 650,000-square-meter site.
The main tenant of the stadium is Azerbaijan’s national football team.
Other relevant stadiums that can host 10,000+ in Azerbaijan are:
– Tofiq Bahramov Stadium (31,150), Baku, built 1951;
– Ganja City Stadium (27,000), Ganja, built 1963;
– Mehdi Huseynzade Sumqyit City Stadium (15,350), Sumgayit, built 1966;
– Lankaran City Stadium (12,000), Lankaran, built 2006;
– Nakhchivan City Stadium (12,800), Nakhchivan City, built 2013;
– Shamkir City Stadium (11,500), Shamkir, built 1953;
– Bakcell Arena (10,500), Baku, built 2012;
– Barda Stadium (10,000), Barda.