U. J. Esuene Stadium

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The U. J. Esuene Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Calabar, Nigeria. It is used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of Calabar Rovers and previously Dolphins F.C.[1] The stadium has a capacity of 16,000 and was opened in 1977.[2]

U.J. Esuene Stadium
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Full nameUdokaha Jacob Esuene Stadium
LocationCalabar, Nigeria
Coordinates4°58′04″N 8°19′37″E / 4.9677°N 8.3269°E / 4.9677; 8.3269
Capacity16,000
Opened1977
Tenants
Calabar Rovers

History

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The UJ Esuene Stadium was inaugurated on 2 April, 1977 with a match between Benin's Bendel Insurance F.C. and newly formed Calabar Rovers of Calabar. Two weeks later, the stadium hosted an international encounter between Enugu Rangers and Tonnerre Yaoundé - a game that featured the likes of Roger Milla, Christian Chukwu and Emmanuel Okala.

Games at the 2003 All-Africa Games were also played at the U. J. Esuene Stadium in October 2003, as were Nigeria's qualifiers for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations. It was also shortlisted as a stadium for the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup and hosted eight games, including the South Korea-Nigeria quarterfinal.[3]

The stadium has been further upgraded to include an ultra-modern electronic video-matrix scoreboard, with impressive floodlights.

Notable football matches hosted

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Date Team 1 Result Team 2 Attendance Round
5 April 1999   Zambia 4–3   Honduras 12,000 Group F
  Spain 2–0   Brazil
8 April 1999   Zambia 0–0   Spain 8,000
14 April 1999   Brazil 4–0   Croatia 12,000 Round of 16
Date Team 1 Result Team 2 Attendance Round
25 October 2009   Iran 2–0   Gambia 9,200 Group C
  Colombia 2–1   Netherlands 10,100
28 October 2009   Netherlands 2–1   Gambia 6,800
  Iran 0–0   Colombia 8,600
31 October 2009   Gambia 2–2 6,100
  New Zealand 1–1   Turkey 7,000 Group D
5 November 2009   Iran 1–2 (a.e.t.)   Uruguay 3,600 Round of 16
9 November 2009   South Korea 1–3   Nigeria 9,100 Quarter-final

References

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  1. ^ Dolphins to maintain Esuene stadium Archived 2016-08-04 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ "U.J. Esuene Stadium - Soccerway".
  3. ^ Calabar Okayed for United, Pompey Clash[permanent dead link]