The idea of constructing a modern stadium in Brunei was first made by the former Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien III to commemorate the visit of Elizabeth II on February 29, 1972. A meeting was held on May 16, 1972 on which the special committee made a decision to build a stadium in Bandar Seri Begawan. Unusually for a public building in Brunei, members of the public donated and contributed towards the building of the stadium. Although the final collection of $1,102,761.57 accounted for a little more than 1.1 percent of the total building cost ($100 million), the public participation showed the Bruneians' great interest and support for this project. The entire project cost for the stadium is about $100 million.[2]
Building
The stadium is 850 feet (260 m) long and 632 feet (193 m) wide.[3] It can accommodate 30,000 spectators, which includes 110 seats for the royalties, 500 for the VIPs, and 3,000 in the grandstand section.[4] It has four light towers — each is 198 feet (60 m) high and equipped with 108 2-kilowatt metal-halide lamps.[5] The grandstand is covered with aluminium roofs which have a total length of 198 feet (60 m) and a total width of 135 feet (41 m).[3] The parking spaces can accommodate 2,785 private vehicles and 158 buses.[4] The building is oriented in north-south direction with the grandstand located at the western section.[3] It has a football field which fulfills FIFA standards, as well as the running track which fulfills IAAF standards.[3] The stadium has a videomatrix scoreboard located at the northern section; it can display both Latin and Jawi writing.[5]
Opening
It was opened on 23 September 1983, the date was chosen to celebrate the 69th birthday of Bolkiah's father and predecessor Omar Ali Saifuddien III. On the evening of the opening day, a friendly football match was played between the Brunei national football team and an invited English Football League team, Sheffield United. Despite the jet lag and the humid weather, Sheffield United won 1–0. The next day another match was held between United and a Brunei invited team which ended in a 1–1 draw.[6]
Renovation
The stadium was renovated from 2021 and completed in the middle of 2022.[7] Home matches for the national football team were held at the Track & Field Sports Complex instead.
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