KMC Football Stadium
.jpg) An upper view of KMC Football Ground | |
 | |
| Location | Saddar Town, Karachi, Pakistan |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 24°51′3″N 66°59′29″E / 24.85083°N 66.99139°E |
| Owner | City District Government Karachi |
| Capacity | 15,000 |
| Surface | Grass |
| Opened | 1956[1] |
| Tenants | |
| KMC football team (1950s–2000s) | |
The KMC Football Stadium, also known as the CDGK Stadium,[2] is an association football stadium in Karachi, Pakistan, with a capacity of around 15,000.[3] The stadium is owned by the Karachi Municipal Corporation.
It is one of the oldest stadiums in the country, and has hosted several international test football matches. The Pakistan national team has played here against visiting teams from the Soviet Union, Iran, China, Turkey, Kuwait, Korea, Japan, Germany and USA.[4][5]
History
[edit]Early years
[edit]
The stadium was built before the partition of British Raj, as a piece of barren land surrounded by a 12 ft wall.[5]
In 1956, in a match featuring Keamari Union against Baloch XI, the pavilion collapsed with close to 100 people getting injured.[6]
The then commissioner of Karachi, Ghulam Ahmed Madni visited the ground after the tragedy, being instructed by the president of Pakistan Ayub Khan, to start the renovation work in 1962.[5]
The stadium also had their own club called KMC football team, which was formed in the same decade in which the venue was established.[6]
1968–2000
[edit]In 1968, the stadium hosted its first tournament, which featured teams from former East Pakistan.[5]
During the 1960s, many foreign teams toured Karachi for friendly matches, including China in 1963, Indonesia in 1964, Neftçi PFK from the USSR in November 1964, along with some youth teams from the Soviet Union.[5]
The area possessed a unique footballing identity which was born in the slums of Orangi, Landhi, Korangi, Malir and Lyari, dominated by players from the Sheedi and Makrani communities.[5]
2001–Present
[edit]The venue hosted the 2009 Karachi Football League final between Shahzad Mohammadan and Nazimabad FC, with 15,000 people in attendance.[7][8]
KMC Stadium was one of the two venues for the 2021 National Women Football Championship.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "The story of Karachi's KMC football stadium | Sports | thenews.com.pk". www.thenews.com.pk.
- ^ "Why is PFF ignoring KMC football stadium? - thenews.com.pk". 2012-09-01. Archived from the original on 2012-09-01. Retrieved 2024-05-31.
- ^ "Tides of time". thenews.com.pk. Archived from the original on 2015-05-18. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "KMC football stadium remains neglected - thenews.com.pk". 2012-06-04. Archived from the original on 2012-06-04. Retrieved 2024-05-31.
- ^ a b c d e f "KMC Football stadium: Downtrodden glory - ARYSports.tv". 2020-08-07. Archived from the original on 2020-08-07. Retrieved 2024-05-31.
- ^ a b "The story of Karachi's KMC football stadium | Sports | thenews.com.pk". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2024-05-31.
- ^ "Shahzad M'Dan retain PLF crown". DAWN.COM. February 16, 2009.
- ^ "In-depth: Pakistan football". DAWN.COM. 2013-01-13. Archived from the original on 25 May 2013. Retrieved 2023-06-28.