Imarat Stadium

About

Imarat Stadium (Azerbaijani: İmarət stadionu), opened in 1952, was a multi-purpose stadium in Aghdam, Azerbaijan. The stadium was built in 1952 and used as home stadium by Qarabağ FK. The stadium was destroyed by bombardments from Armenian military forces during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War in June 1993. The stadium returned to Azerbaijani control on 20 November 2020 as a result of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war. Following its liberation, Azerbaijani forces began to clear mines from the stadium grounds. The Ministry of Youth and Sports of Azerbaijan has declared that the stadium will be restored. On September 19, 2024, the foundation of the new Imarat stadium was laid by President Ilham Aliyev, and the construction of the stadium is expected to be completed in 2026. Qarabağ FK's biggest fan club, Imarat Tayfa, was also named after this stadium.

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.