Dasharath Rangasala (Nepali: दशरथ रङ्गशाला ; transl. Dasharath Stadium)[2] is a multi-purpose stadium in Tripureshwar, Kathmandu. It is named after Dasharath Chand, one of the four great martyrs of Nepal.
दशरथ रंगशाला | |
 The stadium during the 2022 SAFF Women's Championship Final | |
 | |
| Location | Tripureshwor, Kathmandu, Nepal |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 27°41′42″N 85°18′53″E / 27.6951°N 85.3148°E |
| Owner | Government of Nepal |
| Operator | National Sports Council Nepal |
| Capacity | 41,000 (2013 B.S.) , 20,000 (Capacity decreased due to renovation) |
| Record attendance | 30,000 [1] |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1956 |
| Opened | 1958 |
| Renovated | 2019 |
| Tenants | |
| Nepal national football team | |
The stadium is used mostly for football matches and cultural programmes. Floodlights at the venue facilitate holding matches and events in the evenings and at night. Most of Nepal's national and international football tournaments are held in this stadium. Nepal's primary football division, Martyr's Memorial League, is also held on this ground every year.[3] The stadium has also been the only host of the inaugural 2021 Nepal Super League season.[4]
History
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The stadium was built in 1956.
On 13 March 1988, the 1988 Kathmandu stadium disaster occurred. About 30,000 people were present in the stadium to watch a match between two clubs from Nepal and Bangladesh when a hailstorm broke out, causing a stampede as the supporters rushed to locked exits to escape the hailstorm. According to reports, about 93 people died in the stampede, including two police officers and a 12-year-old child. More than 100 people were hospitalized with injuries. It was considered one of the most catastrophic events in the history of sports.[5]
The stadium was renovated in 1998 to host the 1999 South Asian Games. In 2011, it was renovated again to host the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup.
As Nepal's biggest stadium, it has hosted many important events. The 2012 AFC Challenge Cup and the 2013 SAFF Championship were held here, with the Halchowk Stadium hosting some of the matches as well. Numerous cultural festivals and musical events took place here as well. The 2011 concert of Bryan Adams was held in this stadium and was his first rock concert in Nepal.
The stadium suffered damage from the April 2015 earthquake that hit Nepal.
After the earthquake, the stadium was renovated for the third time and the opening was done again on 1 December 2019 for the 2019 South Asian Games.[6] In March 2024, the Nepalese national team were forced to move their upcoming home games to the Middle East as the stadium had failed to meet FIFA standards.[7]
Major sports events
edit- 1997 SAFF Football Championship (4 – 13 September 1997)
- 1999 South Asian Games
- 2012 AFC Challenge Cup (8 – 19 March 2012)
- 2013 SAFF U-16 Championship (20 – 30 July 2013)
- 2013 SAFF Championship (31 August – 11 September 2013)
- 2019 South Asian Games (1 – 10 December 2019)
- 2022 SAFF Women's Championship (6 – 19 September 2022)
- 2024 SAFF Women's Championship (17 – 30 October 2024)
Major music and cultural events
edit- Bryan Adams – live in concert by JPR events (19 February 2011)[citation needed]
- Atif Aslam – live in concert (2013)
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "93 Die in Nepal Stadium Stampede: Soccer Fans Rush to Locked Exits in Sudden Hailstorm". Los Angeles Times. 13 March 1988. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
- ^ "Dasarath Rangasala Stadium". stadiumdb. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
- ^ "MMC, Brigade pull off struggling wins". Kathmandu Post. Archived from the original on 22 November 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
- ^ "Nepal Super League Franchises unveiled". The Kathmandu Post. 14 March 2021.
- ^ "93 Die in Nepal Stadium Stampede: Soccer Fans Rush to Locked Exits in Sudden Hailstorm". Los Angeles Times. 13 March 1988. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
- ^ "Renovation of Dasharath Rangasala". Himalayan Times. Archived from the original on 2 November 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
- ^ "Nepali team compelled to play in Bahrain following deterioration of Dasharath stadium ground". 11 March 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.