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The People's Football Stadium is a football stadium located in Lyari, a neighbourhood in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. The stadium can accommodate 25,000 spectators, and has an upgradable seating capacity of 40,000. . Owned by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, the stadium serves as one of the home venues for the Pakistan national football team.

The stadium is part of the People's Sports Complex which also houses a boxing arena having capacity of 5,000 spectators, and a gymnasium sports complex where indoor sports like volleyball, badminton and basketball are played.

History

The stadium was built in 1988, and opened on 9 December 1995 by the provincial government Pakistan Peoples Party and Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. Covering an area of 10 acres (40,000 m), it was constructed in place of four football training pitches that reportedly had left more than 20 clubs without a playing field. The stadium had been built to promote sports and host international football matches, but within years of its completion, it was occupied by law-enforcement agencies such as the Pakistan Rangers for keeping an eye on the law and order situation in the area.

Apart from being one of the main venues of several national sports events such as the National Games of Pakistan, or football events such as the Pakistan Premier League, PFF League and the PFF National Challenge Cup, the stadium was aimed to became one of the home venues for international matches, first hosting the 2005 SAARC Gold Cup. It also hosted all the matches in the inaugural Karachi Football League and Geo Super Football League in 2007.

After years of inactivity due to the ban on Pakistan Football Federation by FIFA, and after 11 years since Pakistan ever held an international football event, the stadium was considered as one of the potential venues for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification on 17 October 2023, however it was ultimately deemed unfit by not meeting FIFA standards.

See also

• List of football stadiums in Pakistan

References

1. ^ "People's Sports Complex needs urgent facelift". DAWN.COM. 2005-05-08. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
2. https://uk.soccerway.com/venues/pakistan/peoples-football-stadium-karachi/v6830/
3. "PFF faces dilemma over venue selection for SAFF contest". DAWN.COM. 2005-06-30. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
4. "City Landmarks – People's Stadium Lyari". The Karachi Walla. 2011-12-08. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
5. Newspaper, From the (2023-09-10). "Promoting or destroying football in Lyari?". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
6. "Karachi yet to have a top-level stadium for major events". DAWN.COM. 2007-04-07. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
7. Ahsan, Ali (2011-02-02). "A history of football in Pakistan — Final part". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
8. "NC to submit WC Qualifiers venue with FIFA by Aug18". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
9. natasha.raheel (2023-10-17). "Jinnah Stadium prepared hastily for 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifier". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
10. "When will Karachi host international football matches?". www.geosuper.tv. Retrieved 2024-12-11.

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