The Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium () is a multi-purpose stadium in Baku, Azerbaijan. It is currently used mostly for football matches. It served as the home ground for the Azerbaijan national football team until they moved to the Baku Olympic Stadium. They returned for some UEFA Euro 2024 and 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches. It holds 31,200 seats making it the second largest stadium in the country.Stadium for 60,000 seats to be built in Baku The stadium is also used by the Azerbaijan Premier League clubs in the final rounds of European competitions.

History The Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium was built in 1951. Its construction started before World War II in 1939, but was suspended. When its construction resumed, it was finished by German prisoners of war. Initially the stadium was named after Joseph Stalin (1878–1953) and built in form of the letter C (Cyrillic: Cтaлин). After the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1956 it was renamed after Vladimir Lenin (1870–1924) as a part of de-Stalinization. In 1993, the stadium was named after the famous football referee Tofiq Bahramov (1925–1993) who died in the same year.

In 2011, the Presidential Reserve Fund of the State Budget of Azerbaijan for 2011 allocated $10 million for capital repairs and reconstruction of the stadium as it could be used as a potential venue for Eurovision Song Contest 2012. During the reconstruction process, the number of seats were increased from 29870 to 31200 and the grass cover football stadium was properly renewed according to FIFA standards. In addition, the projectors which were used to light the stadium were also renewed with innovative and modern technologies. President Ilham Aliyev attended the opening of the Tofig Bahramov Republican Stadium after major overhaul and reconstruction on 16 August 2012.

The stadium was one of the venues for the group stages of the 2012 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. One Group A match, a semi-final and the final were played there.

Events The athletics competitions of the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) were held at the stadium between July 22 and 27, 2019.

The stadium also hosted archery at 2015 European Games.

Aside from sporting uses, several concerts have been held at Tofiq Bahramov, with such big names as Shakira, Elton John, Jennifer Lopez and Tarkan playing.

Concerts Concerts at the Tofiq Bahramov StadiumDateArtistTourAttendance30 June 2006TarkanSolo Concert55,00010 June 2007Aygun KazimovaSolo Concert29,000 23 September 2007Elton JohnThe Captain and the Kid Tour32,000 22 September 2012Jennifer Lopez2012 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup30,00013 October 2012Shakira2012 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup40,00019 April 2013Konul KhasiyevaSolo Concert15,000

Azerbaijan national football team matches The following national team matches were held in the stadium.

DateTime (CEST)Team #1Res.Team #2RoundAttendance31 August 1996 20:00 Azerbaijan1–0 Switzerland1998 FIFA World Cup qualifying15,00010 November 1996 16:00 Azerbaijan0–3 Hungary1998 FIFA World Cup qualifying30,0002 April 1997 20:00 Azerbaijan1–2 Finland1998 FIFA World Cup qualifying19,0006 September 1997 20:00 Azerbaijan0–1 Norway1998 FIFA World Cup qualifying8,00010 October 1998 17:00 Azerbaijan0–4 HungaryUEFA Euro 2000 qualifying7,50031 March 1999 20:00 Azerbaijan0–1 RomaniaUEFA Euro 2000 qualifying10,0005 June 1999 18:00 Azerbaijan4–0 LiechtensteinUEFA Euro 2000 qualifying8,5004 September 1999 17:30 Azerbaijan1–1 PortugalUEFA Euro 2000 qualifying8,0009 October 1999 18:00 Azerbaijan0–1 SlovakiaUEFA Euro 2000 qualifying6,0002 September 2000 20:45 Azerbaijan0–1 Sweden2002 FIFA World Cup qualifying15,00011 October 2000 20:00 Azerbaijan0–1 Turkey2002 FIFA World Cup qualifying24,00024 March 2001 16:00 Azerbaijan0–0 Moldova2002 FIFA World Cup qualifying20,0006 June 2001 19:00 Azerbaijan2–0 Slovakia2002 FIFA World Cup qualifying10,0007 September 2002 23:00 Azerbaijan0–2 ItalyUEFA Euro 2004 qualifying28,00020 November 2002 19:00 Azerbaijan0–2 WalesUEFA Euro 2004 qualifying9,5004 September 2004 21:00 Azerbaijan1–1 Wales2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying8,0009 October 2004 21:30 Azerbaijan0–0 Northern Ireland2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying6,46013 October 2004 21:30 Azerbaijan0–1 England2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying17,0004 June 2005 20:00 Azerbaijan0–3 Poland2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying10,4587 September 2005 21:00 Azerbaijan0–0 Austria2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying2,8006 September 2006 19:00 Azerbaijan1–1 KazakhstanUEFA Euro 2008 qualifying8,50028 March 2007 20:00 Azerbaijan1–0 FinlandUEFA Euro 2008 qualifying14,5002 June 2007 20:00 Azerbaijan1–3 PolandUEFA Euro 2008 qualifying25,80013 October 2007 21:00 Azerbaijan0–2 PortugalUEFA Euro 2008 qualifying29,30017 October 2007 21:00 Azerbaijan1–6 SerbiaUEFA Euro 2008 qualifying3,10021 November 2007 21:00 Azerbaijan0–1 BelgiumUEFA Euro 2008 qualifying7,00010 September 2008 21:00 Azerbaijan0–0 Liechtenstein2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying25,0006 June 2009 20:00 Azerbaijan0–1 Wales2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying26,72812 August 2009 21:00 Azerbaijan0–2 Germany2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying22,50014 October 2009 21:00 Azerbaijan1–1 Russia2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying17,00012 October 2010 20:00 Azerbaijan1–0 TurkeyUEFA Euro 2012 qualifying29,5007 June 2011 22:00 Azerbaijan1–3 GermanyUEFA Euro 2012 qualifying29,8582 September 2011 21:00 Azerbaijan1–1 BelgiumUEFA Euro 2012 qualifying9,3006 September 2011 20:00 Azerbaijan3–2 KazakhstanUEFA Euro 2012 qualifying9,1127 September 2012 21:00 Azerbaijan1–1 Israel2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying22,21126 March 2013 21:00 Azerbaijan0–2 Portugal2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying24,55828 March 2015 18:00 Azerbaijan2–0 MaltaUEFA Euro 2016 qualifying14,60026 March 2017 18:00 Azerbaijan1–4 Germany2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying30,00010 June 2017 18:00 Azerbaijan0–1 Northern Ireland2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying27,97816 October 2023 18:00 Azerbaijan0–1 AustriaUEFA Euro 2024 qualifying4,44616 November 2023 15:00 Azerbaijan3–0 SwedenUEFA Euro 2024 qualifying5,5709 September 2025 18:00 Azerbaijan1–1 Ukraine2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying8,45016 November 2025 18:00 Azerbaijan1–3 France2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying29,700

Gallery

See also

List of football stadiums in Azerbaijan Baku Olympic Stadium Tofiq Bahramov

References