Azernews.Az

BAKU – The groundbreaking of Azerbaijan’s biggest soccer stadium outside the capital Baku was held on Monday in a ceremony attended by top soccer officials.

The ceremony, which took place as part of the events devoted to the 100th anniversary of Azerbaijani football, was attended by President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, FIFA President Joseph Blatter and UEFA President Michel Platini.

The 65,000 seat Baku Olympic Stadium, worth $300 million, is financed by Azerbaijan’s state oil company Socar. The over 120,000 square meter stadium will be comprised of multifunctional stands, running tracks and other facilities.

On the same day, a 6,500 seat soccer pitch built by Azerbaijan’s soccer governing body AFFA, Dalga Arena, opened in the Mardakan settlement of Baku. The ribbon was cut at the ceremony by the heads of FIFA, UEFA and AFFA Blatter, Platini and Rovnag Abdullayev, who is also Socar’s president.

FIFA President Blatter said he would visit Azerbaijan again next year to watch the U-17 women’s world soccer championships.

While in Baku, the FIFA and UEFA chiefs will also join a solemn ceremony at the Buta Palace on Wednesday as part of the celebrations of the anniversary of Azerbaijani football. The event will also be attended by the heads of numerous countries’ soccer governing bodies.