Azadi Sports Complex: A Complete Visitor's Guide

Azadi Sports Complex, also known as Aryamehr Sports Complex, is one of the best sports complexes in Iran. It has hosted famous football stars including Pele, Neymar, Christiano Ronaldo, Paolo Maldini, and more.

It has been the host of national team games, as well as matches between Esteghlal and Persepolis, leaving behind many bitter and sweet memories for everyone, especially football enthusiasts.

But whatever your game, whether it's baseball, football, or sumo wrestling, you'll want to know about this sports complex and for this reason, we have decided to familiarize you with the various facilities of this sports complex in this blog so that you can take advantage of its facilities, step into the field with complete information, and experience the joy of being present at Azadi Sports Complex like never before.

History of Azadi Sports Complex

Azadi Sports Complex is known as the National Stadium of Iran. It was built in 1974 on a 460-hectare site in the western part of Tehran. The most important component of this large sports complex is the 100,000-seat football stadium. However, it also includes other sections such as a cycling stadium, car racing tracks, motorcycling and karting facilities, tennis courts, volleyball and basketball halls, a lake for boating and water skiing, a 12,000-seat hall, and more.

This large sports complex, in addition to accommodating most sports disciplines, is a suitable venue for celebrations, gatherings, various ceremonies, and sports camps.

Azadi Sports Complex was designed and constructed during the second Pahlavi era and was originally named Aryamehr Stadium to host the 1974 Asian Games in Tehran. This stadium is considered one of the most memorable stadiums in Iran for football enthusiasts and has witnessed numerous scenes of victory and defeat.

One notable aspect of this stadium is its enduring status among the world's top stadiums, despite its half-century age. For example, in 2013, it ranked 20th on the list of the world's best stadiums by Bleacher Report.

According to the website 90min, Azadi Stadium ranks 26th in the world in terms of spectator capacity, with 78,116 seats. It has also been mentioned as one of the largest stadiums in the world in The Guardian newspaper.

Azadi Stadium in Tehran has an A rating according to the standards and regulations of the Asian Football Confederation and is considered the largest stadium in the Middle East and the fourth-largest stadium in Asia. Additionally, Azadi Stadium holds the record for the highest number of spectators in the history of the AFC Champions League.

The Azadi Stadium is also known as one of the most intimidating stadiums in Iran due to its oval-shaped cross-section, which allows spectators to be close to the field from all sides.

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Azadi Sports Complex Facilities

The Azadi Complex has a vast area and numerous amenities. Some of these facilities include a shooting range, a skating rink, an automobile racing track, a motocross track, a karting track, buildings for the Kung Fu, archery, and volleyball federations, an air sports association building, a rowing tower, a five-hall complex, tennis courts, and the national football team's training camp, among others.

In addition to the mentioned facilities, the Azadi Sports Complex also includes other amenities such as an Olympic hotel, dormitories, a fire station, and a clinic. Now let's introduce you to the main and most important facilities of the Azadi Sports Complex:

Azadi Stadium

The Azadi Stadium is a significant and prestigious part of the Azadi Sports Complex. The Azadi Stadium's capacity is 100,000 seats. Besides hosting national games, it is also the home stadium for the Persepolis and Esteghlal football clubs, which compete in the top league.

This stadium is one of the largest stadiums in the world and holds great prestige. The opening ceremony of the Azadi Stadium was marked by a friendly match between Persepolis and Cruzeiro on March 17, 1971.

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Fields No. 2 and 3

There are two football fields surrounding the 100,000-seat Azadi Stadium, known as Field No. 2 and Field No. 3. Field No. 2 is used for training sessions of the national football team, Esteghlal, and Persepolis. It has been hosting athletes and footballers for many years.

Azadi Indoor Stadium

The 12,000-seat Azadi Hall is the largest covered and multi-purpose hall in the country, located in the Azadi Sports Complex and famous as the Azadi 12,000-seat Hall.

This hall, like the 100,000-seat stadium, was established during the 1974 Asian Games and has various uses, with volleyball and futsal being the most important ones.

Azadi Basketball Hall

The Azadi Sports Complex's basketball hall has a capacity of 3,000 people and meets the necessary standards for this sport. The Azadi Sports Complex Basketball Hall is one of the 5 halls in the complex, which you will become familiar with later.

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Azadi Shooting Halls

If you enter the Azadi Sports Complex through the western and eastern gates, you can easily reach the Azadi Shooting Halls. The shooting halls consist of two complexes with firearms and airguns, and they are located between the Shooting Federation complex. This complex is considered one of the most beautiful complexes in the Azadi Stadium because it has a unique view and a lot of attractiveness.

Azadi Cycling Track

Azadi Cycling Track started its activities in 1975. Over time, this track suffered significant damage to the point where it was no longer suitable for cycling sports.

In 2004, Iranian specialists reconstructed the track, and it is considered the largest cycling track in the Middle East covering an area of 6,500 square meters. It provides facilities such as 23 locker rooms, a special area for journalists, a VIP area for guests, a management office, a capacity of 2,500 spectators, and radio and TV stations. It hosted the 2014 Iran national track cycling championships.

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Azadi Motor Racing Track

Azadi Motor Racing Track was built in 1994 with a capacity of 10,000 people and covers an area of approximately 32,000 square meters. This track is one of the best motor and motorcycle racing tracks in the country and is an important part of the Azadi Sports Complex.

Azadi Skating Track

Azadi Skating Track was built with a capacity of 1,000 people and covers an area of approximately 32,000 square meters. This track is specifically designed for roller skating competitions.

Azadi Motocross Track

Azadi Motocross Track is a motocross racing track in Azadi Sports Complex with a seating capacity of 1,500 spectators and covers an area of approximately 41,000 square meters.

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Azadi Karting Track

Azadi Karting Track was established in 2002. This complex is located in the eastern part of Azadi Stadium and covers an area of 30,000 square meters. Azadi Karting Track is one of the best karting tracks in the Middle East and was designed and built by a team of top car manufacturers, with a track length of 800 meters and a width of 8 to 10 meters.

Azadi Artificial Lake

Azadi Artificial Lake is one of the best lakes in the country for sports such as Canadian canoeing, water skiing, canoeing, rowing, kayaking, canoe polo, etc. It covers an area of 220,000 square meters with a water capacity of 600,000 cubic meters. The depth of this lake is 4 meters.

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Tennis Courts

Tehran Azadi Sports Complex has 18 tennis courts located in the northwest corner of the complex. 10 of these courts are allocated to men, 6 courts to women, and 2 courts are designated for family activities. Each tennis court in the Azadi Sports Complex is built according to the dimensions of 40x20 meters and also hosts training courses.

Azadi Swimming Pool Hall

The Azadi Swimming Pool Hall is located in a building located on the left side of the entrance to the 12,000-seat Azadi Indoor Arena, and access to it is possible from the north and south gates. There are three swimming pools in the hall including the championship pool, the Shiroje pool, and the training pool.

The Championship pool in this complex has dimensions of 26x50 meters with a depth of 2.2 meters and ten swimming lanes. The Shiroje pool has dimensions of 26x20 meters with diving platforms at 1, 3.5, 5.7, and 10 meters, making it suitable for professional and heavy competitions.

Azadi Sports Complex Shooting Range

It is located in the northeastern part of the Azadi Sports and Cultural Complex, and is dedicated to the Federation of Archery and Shooting. It is a standard and well-equipped facility for training and competitions in various disciplines of archery and shooting.

One of the notable features of this section is the presence of two non-profit middle schools for girls and boys named Azar and Arash. In addition to regular academic education, they also receive professional training in this field.

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Azadi Volleyball Hall

This is another covered facility within the Azadi Sports Complex. It has a capacity of 3000 spectators and is one of the five halls in the complex. The hall spans an area of 4500 square meters, with dimensions of 72 × 44 meters.

It is located in the southeastern section of the complex and features special areas for guests, referees, reporters, educational classes, entry tunnels, locker rooms for athletes, spectator seating, audio units, display screens, and more. Additionally, the southern section of the hall includes two beach volleyball courts.

Azadi Weightlifting Hall

This is a standard facility with a capacity of 2500 people. The hall covers an area of 4500 square meters, with dimensions of 72 × 44 meters. Similar to other halls, it provides various amenities such as locker rooms, referee rooms, special areas for guests and reporters, entry tunnels for athletes, spectator seating, and audio and electrical units.

Azadi Wrestling Hall

Azadi Wrestling Hall, also known as the House of Iranian Wrestling, is a wrestling hall with a capacity of over 3000 people and is used for wrestling competitions. Before being designated as a specialized wrestling hall, it was used as a table tennis hall.

Azadi Wushu Hall

Azadi Wushu Hall is a specialized facility within the eastern part of the Azadi Sports Complex. It serves as a venue for competitions and training in the field of Wushu. The hall has a capacity of 600 people and is one of the five halls in the complex.

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Equestrian Center

Azadi Equestrian Center spans an area of 39,840 square meters and is located in the southeast section of Azadi Sports Complex. The facility has a capacity of 800 people and can accommodate 300 cars in its parking lot.

It includes a sports shop and a café, providing visitors with excellent amenities. Moreover, the facility meets international standards and is used in official competitions.

National Football Team Camp

The western side of Azadi Sports Complex is dedicated to the national football team camp, which has been a venue for the national team members since 2000. The camp features football fields, volleyball and futsal halls, a gymnasium, a dormitory with a capacity of 30 people, a dining hall capable of accommodating 45 people, a large classroom for 45 students, an amphitheater, a medical room, and the Football Academy building, among other facilities.

Kung Fu and Martial Arts Federation

The Kung Fu and Martial Arts Federation building includes a training hall with an area of 475 square meters, exclusively used for the training of athletes in this discipline.

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Azadi Sports Complex Location

Azadi Sports Complex is located on Kilometer 5 of the Tehran-Karaj highway.

Access to Azadi Sports Complex

There are three ways to access Azadi Sports Complex: personal vehicle, metro, and bus. If you are going to the stadium by personal vehicle, you need to take the Tehran-Karaj highway and Sheikh Fazlollah Nouri freeway, and then proceed to Azadi Stadium Boulevard. Once you get to the sports complex, you can park your car at the Azadi Sports Complex parking space.

For those traveling by bus, there is a bus stop not too far from the western entrance of the stadium. However, during important matches, a large number of buses are usually arranged for transporting spectators.

In normal circumstances, you can take the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) buses from different neighborhoods in Tehran to Azadi Square and then transfer to the Azadi Stadium buses.

But the easiest way to reach Azadi Stadium is by using the Tehran Metro. It is located near the Azadi Station which is on the Metro Line 5. This station is situated on the southern side of Azadi Stadium and is approximately 900 meters away from it.

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Azadi Sport Complex Ticket

Since a large crowd often gathers at Azadi Stadium to watch football matches, knowing how to purchase tickets from this venue is of great importance. Usually, the ticket sales process is announced before important matches.

If the sales are conducted online, you need to visit the electronic ticketing systems for football matches to purchase tickets. The registration and ticket purchasing process is fully explained on these websites.

However, ticket purchases are often available in two forms: in-person and online, or only in-person. In that case, you must make sure to visit the ticket sales booths at the stadium several hours in advance to find your desired tickets. If online purchasing is available, it is recommended to use that option and attend the game with peace of mind.

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Bottom Line

Azadi Sports Complex is a remarkable destination for sports enthusiasts and athletes alike. With its diverse range of facilities, it offers a comprehensive sporting experience.

The complex not only meets international standards but also provides excellent amenities, including sports shops, cafes, and accommodation options. Whether you're a spectator or a participant, Azadi Sports Complex in Tehran promises excitement and top-notch facilities.

Don't miss out on the opportunity to explore this iconic sports destination. If you need more information regarding booking and matches, visit here and plan your next sports adventure today.

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