Zayed Sports City
Built in 1980, the iconic structure just off Khaleej Al Arabi Street is almost as old as the nation itself. Built by the late great Sheikh Zayed, it has hosted any number of spectacular events over the years, from 2003’s Fifa World Youth Championship to the Bon Jovi concert in 2008 (recently featured in their When We Were Beautiful documentary). While the stadium looks as though it has seen better days, it remains the city’s biggest field-sports venue, and refurbishments in time for the recent Man City vs UAE game mean there ought to be plenty of life in the old fellow yet.
Did you know?
The new pitch uses a natty, up-to-the-minute kind of turf that requires 50 per cent less water than regular grass.
Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium
Home to Al Jazira FC, MBZ Stadium, between Airport Road and Old Airport Road, looks ultra-modern in comparison to the grandfatherly Zayed Sports City. Far closer to the central area of Abu Dhabi, refurbishments are being made to try and make this something of a destination in its own right. Expect comfortable seats and decent air conditioning – and keep an eye open for the likes of Ricardo Oliveira, the most expensive player in the history of the UAE league. He moved here earlier this year for around Dhs77million, and is reportedly very pleased with the way this stadium has improved.
Did you know?
The roof of the stadium is designed in such a way that it minimises crowd noise outside the ground. It also has retractable canopies to keep the sun off during daytime matches.
