Enab Baladi – Hani Karazi
For decades, football players in Syria have suffered from poor local stadiums, as the former Syrian regime showed little interest in developing them. Instead, it transformed many into military barracks and detention centers, or deliberately neglected them until they became grazing fields for livestock.
The condition of stadiums in the Syrian league and sports halls has been a topic of debate and mockery on social media over the past years, primarily due to the poor condition of most playing surfaces. The former regime often cited Western sanctions as a reason for the lack of maintenance.
Detention centers and grazing fields
Complaints about the state of Syrian stadiums resurface every season. Most stadiums generally lack proper sanitary facilities and seating areas, and each football match in the Syrian league or other competitions brings discussions about the inadequate medical facilities and poor playing surfaces in the stadiums.
The city of Damascus hosts four stadiums: Al-Fayhaa, Tishreen, al-Jalaa, and Abbasiyyin, with the latter’s grandstands destroyed and its pitch turned into barricades and trenches, according to videos published by journalists and activists.
Abbasiyyin Stadium is one of the oldest sports facilities in Syria, built in 1957, and was the main venue for the Syrian national football team, along with the al-Jaish, al-Majd, and al-Wahda clubs.
In June 2012, the former Syrian regime turned Abbasiyyin Stadium into a military barracks, with hundreds of soldiers and dozens of tanks and military vehicles occupying it, due to its proximity to Jobar and Eastern Ghouta.
Abbasiyyin Stadium is the fourth largest football stadium in Syria, accommodating 30,000 spectators after several expansions.
The issue extends beyond Abbasiyyin Stadium, as the former regime also converted Tishreen and al-Jalaa stadiums in Damascus, al-Hamadaniya in Aleppo, and others in Daraa and Deir Ezzor into detention centers or helicopter landing sites at the beginning of the Syrian revolution.
In September 2019, the government Tishreen newspaper (now Al-Hurriya) reported that the state of Syrian stadiums and their pitches, in particular, was facing a “huge crisis,” with some stadiums resembling “a dry agricultural field,” emphasizing the impact of neglect on the players’ performance during matches.
Many photos circulated showing stadiums turned into grazing fields for livestock due to the lack of maintenance and the suspension of sports activities in Syria.
Twenty years ago, the regime began constructing the sports city in Baniyas to serve as a sports center in Tartus governorate. However, due to neglect, the opening of that facility was delayed until 2009, and it included a football stadium, swimming pools, and outdoor fields.
Despite the high costs of Baniyas Stadium, less than five years after its opening, it received no attention or care from the former regime, turning it into a sheep grazing area, which forced the Baniyas Refinery team to move their games to the city of Tartus.
Improving the playing surfaces is a basic demand
Syrian stadiums face many challenges that negatively impact players’ performance, primarily the poor condition of the pitches which turn into muddy swamps during the winter.
Sports journalist Anas Amou told Enab Baladi that Syrian stadiums are currently in a catastrophic state, thus requiring urgent emergency solutions to become capable of hosting the remaining matches of the Syrian league this season. Following the league’s end, a preliminary plan can be established in the summer to prepare the stadiums for the next season in a better way.
Amou emphasized the necessity of improving the turf by leveling the ground, installing drainage and irrigation networks, and then laying natural grass according to international specifications, potentially with assistance from friendly countries. He noted that artificial turf leads to many player injuries, including anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries.
Many stadiums in Syria rely on artificial turf, including al-Jalaa Stadium in Damascus and 7 April Stadium in Aleppo. Meanwhile, there are some stadiums with natural grass, but they suffer from poor maintenance, resulting in holes in the playing surface.
In turn, sports journalist Mouayad Kayali stated that stadiums and playing areas filled with dust, leaves, and debris should be cleaned regularly using specialized equipment to maintain the quality of the playing surfaces. This includes addressing holes and floor gaps, using high-quality fertilizers for the grass, and providing regular irrigation, in addition to caring for the goalposts and ensuring the nets’ safety.
Kayali added that caring for stadium surfaces helps enhance the quality of player performance, protects them from injuries, increases enjoyment during training and matches, prolongs the lifespan of the stadiums, maintains their aesthetic appearance, and ultimately enhances the reputation of the stadium, attracting more clubs, fans, and sponsoring companies.
Essential requirements
The process of improving the stadiums in Syria after the fall of the Syrian regime does not only involve enhancing the quality of the playing surfaces but also includes other essential requirements that need to be focused on.
Anas Amou stated that the General Sports Federation should implement a new system for the development of stadiums. It should be mandated that each club has a security coordinator responsible for ensuring the safety of the match and preventing public disorder, either by relying on official security personnel or potentially contracting specialized security companies for match organization, as is common in most countries around the world.
Additionally, attention must be given to the development of stadium facilities, including the maintenance of stands, restrooms, spectator seating, increasing entry gates, and creating cafes and parks around the stadium. There should also be preparation for stands that support modern camera setups for video technology (VAR).
The former head of the General Sports Federation in Syria, Mowafak Juma, acknowledged the “poor sanitary facilities” in Syrian stadiums and halls, accusing “some of the attendees of damaging them.”
Following the fall of the Syrian regime, a fire broke out at Aleppo International Stadium in the al-Hamdaniya neighborhood in the west of the city, causing significant damage.
The Syria Civil Defence reported that a massive fire of unknown origin broke out in the reception hall of Aleppo Stadium on December 18, 2024, noting that its teams were able to extinguish the fire and cool the area after two hours of continuous work.
Journalist Anas Amou pointed out that it is illogical for a match attended by 40,000 spectators to have only one or two gates for entry, or only three individuals selling tickets. As a result, fans would need to arrive three hours early just to wait to enter the stadium, in addition to the chaos and pushing that could occur when entering and exiting, which could lead to injuries or cases of suffocation due to severe crowding at the gates.
Many stadiums in Syria lack lighting systems, and when available, they might be out of order or there may not be electricity or fuel to operate them. Therefore, providing nighttime lighting is a vital requirement, especially since matches held in the summer should take place at night to spare players from high temperatures.
Amou noted that there are public demands for ensuring televised coverage of all league matches. Consequently, not all matches can be held simultaneously, meaning some games will be played at night. Therefore, providing nighttime lighting is essential to create ideal conditions for players and fans, especially during the summer.
Another essential requirement for Syrian stadiums is the preparation of rooms for commentators, journalists, and changing facilities, as well as designated spaces for television broadcasting vehicles, rather than having the cars parked near the pitch as has happened in Syrian league matches.
Journalist Amou emphasized that equipping the stadiums is crucial to encourage FIFA to lift the ban on Syrian stadiums. The Syrian national team still plays its international matches in neutral countries. Thus, equipping the stadiums and meeting other conditions such as ensuring security and improving roads and transportation networks will encourage FIFA to lift the ban on local stadiums, allowing the national team or Syrian clubs participating in continental matches to play at home in front of their fans.