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| Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium | |
|---|---|
| Name | Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium |
| Location | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
| Built | 1971 |
| Opened | 1971 |
| Owner | General Presidency of Youth Welfare |
| Surface | Grass |
| Capacity | 22,500 |
| Tenants | Al-Hilal SFC, Al-Shabab FC, Saudi Arabia national football team |
Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium
Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The venue has hosted domestic league fixtures, regional tournaments, and international friendlies, drawing clubs and national teams across Asia, Africa, and Europe. The stadium is closely associated with Saudi professional football clubs and national sporting bodies.
The stadium was commissioned during the reign of King Faisal of Saudi Arabia and was named to honor Prince Faisal bin Fahd; its inauguration involved officials from the Ministry of Sport (Saudi Arabia), the General Sports Authority (Saudi)? and figures linked to the House of Saud. Early use included matches featuring Al-Hilal SFC, Al-Nassr FC, and Al-Shabab FC (Riyadh), with fixtures aligned to the Saudi Premier League and later the Saudi Pro League. Through the 1980s and 1990s the facility hosted continental contests organized by the AFC Champions League, fixtures influenced by the Asian Football Confederation, and events involving the Saudi Arabia national football team. The stadium underwent upgrades to meet standards for competitions sanctioned by the FIFA and the Olympic Council of Asia, paralleling infrastructure projects in Jeddah, Dammam, and Mecca.
The stadium features a rectangular grass pitch encircled by spectator stands and basic athletics provisions, reflecting design trends used in venues such as King Fahd International Stadium and Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium. The bowl incorporates covered seating sections, VIP boxes used by dignitaries from the Saudi Football Federation and corporate suites for sponsors including conglomerates like Saudi Aramco, Saudi Telecom Company, and Savola Group. Back-of-house spaces support team preparations comparable to facilities at Al Janoub Stadium and Education City Stadium with locker rooms, media centers for broadcasters like beIN Sports and Sky Sports, and floodlighting meeting standards set by UEFA and FIFA. Architectural firms and contractors involved with Saudi stadia frequently reference precedents such as Azadi Stadium and King Abdullah Sports City when specifying capacity, sightlines, and emergency egress.
Primary tenants include Al-Hilal SFC and Al-Shabab FC (Riyadh), while Al-Nassr FC and the Saudi Arabia national football team have used the venue for selected fixtures. The stadium has hosted matches in the Saudi King's Cup, Crown Prince Cup (Saudi Arabia), and fixtures in the AFC Asian Cup cycle of qualifiers. Regional tournaments involving national sides from United Arab Emirates national football team, Qatar national football team, Kuwait national football team, Iraq national football team, and Jordan national football team have been staged here. Club tournaments such as the GCC Champions League and continental fixtures overseen by the AFC have featured the stadium, while friendly matches have seen European clubs like Real Madrid CF, FC Barcelona, Manchester United F.C., and AC Milan visit Saudi venues during pre-season tours.
The stadium has hosted high-profile domestic cup finals including editions of the King Cup (Saudi Arabia) and the Saudi Super Cup when scheduling required Riyadh venues. It served as a stage for decisive league encounters in the Saudi Pro League title races involving Al-Hilal SFC champions and rivalries with Al-Nassr FC. International friendlies featuring the Saudi Arabia national football team against sides such as Argentina national football team and Brazil national football team have used Riyadh stadia in concert with diplomatic and sporting initiatives. Concerts and national ceremonies alongside events organized by the Ministry of Culture (Saudi Arabia) and entertainment promoters have occasionally used the grounds in line with developments under the Vision 2030 program driven by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Seating capacity is listed at approximately 22,500, with attendance peaks recorded during derby matches between Al-Hilal SFC and Al-Nassr FC, cup finals, and continental fixtures. Crowd management protocols reflect guidelines from FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation, and local authorities, while ticketing partnerships have included agencies comparable to Ticketmaster and regional outlets. Historical attendance records are influenced by seasonal league calendars such as the Saudi Pro League 2010–11 and marquee exhibition fixtures involving international clubs during winter transfer windows when global teams stage tours in the Gulf region.
The stadium is accessible via Riyadh arterial roads connecting to major districts including Olaya District (Riyadh), Al Malaz, and King Abdullah Financial District (Riyadh), with proximity to hotels used by visiting teams such as properties from Riyadh Marriott Hotel and chains like Hilton and Hyatt. Public transport links include bus routes operated by Riyadh Bus and planned integration with the Riyadh Metro network, which includes lines serving key sporting precincts and commercial hubs. Parking, shuttle services, and coordination with traffic police from the Ministry of Interior (Saudi Arabia) are standard practice for large events, and stadium access protocols are aligned with security procedures used by other major venues like King Fahd International Stadium and King Abdullah Sports City.
Category:Football venues in Saudi Arabia Category:Sports venues in Riyadh Category:Multi-purpose stadiums