City Stadium, Penang

City Stadium

Stadium Bandaraya Pulau Pinang(Malay)
City Stadium Location in George Town
Former names	Penang Island National Stadium (1 October 1945–8 August 2003)
Location	George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Coordinates	5°24′42″N100°18′52″E / 5.4117°N 100.3145°E / 5.4117; 100.3145
Owner	Penang State Government
Operator	Penang Island City Council
Capacity	20,000 [1]
Field size	110 m × 70 m (120 yd × 77 yd)
Surface	Grass pitch Track
Construction
Broke ground	1 October 1945
Built	1 June 1948
Opened	1 September 1956
Renovated	1953, 2018
Expanded	1 May 1950
Architect	British Government
Tenants
Penang F.C. (1945–present)

The City Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in George Town, Penang, Malaysia, and serves as the home stadium of the main Penang state football club, Penang F.C. The oldest built stadium still in use in Malaysia, it was built in 1932 by the British government. ^{[2] [3]} It is also well known for the vociferous home support, dubbed the "Keramat Roar". ^[4]

The stadium was the site where Mohd Faiz Subri, a Penang FA player, scored a physics-defying free kick goal during a Malaysian Super League match in 2016. ^{[5] [6]} He was awarded the prestigious FIFA Puskás Award the following year for this particular effort.

History

Penang Island National Stadium (1945–2003)

Construction of the City Stadium commenced on 1 October 1945, just after the end of the Second World War. Upon completion in 1948, it was officially named the Penang Island National Stadium. The stadium was expanded by the British government in 1950 and underwent further renovation in 1953.

City Stadium (2003–present)

The Penang Island National Stadium was eventually renamed the City Stadium. Another round of renovation was conducted in the 2000s. However, as George Town had already been densely developed, under the confined urban constraints the City Stadium could not be expanded further. The Penang FA had briefly moved to the Penang State Stadium in Batu Kawan on the mainland due to capacity concerns, but in 2011 the state football team returned to the City Stadium.

Notable matches

On 14 May 1975, the second exhibition match was played between the Malaysia League XI and Arsenal Football Club. The match ended in a 1–1 draw. ^{[7] [8] [9]} Penang FA also played an exhibition match against BSC Young Boys (Switzerland) which ended in a 1–1 draw on 25 January 1982. ^[10] Before that, on 12 January 1982, FC Bayern Munich II played versus Penang, which ended in a 1–0 win for the home side. ^[11]

International matches

Date	Competition	Team 1	Res.	Team 2
8 September 2004	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC second round	Malaysia	0–1	China

References

1. "Malaysia – Penang FA Venue– Soccerway". Soccerway. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
2. "Bandaraya Stadium event". Archived from the original on 3 February 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
3. "Rental". Official Portal of Penang Island City Council (MBPP). 9 October 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
4. "No simple main road – Community | The Star Online". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
5. FIFA.com. "The Best FIFA Football Awards 2016 - Puskás Award – FIFA.com". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 3 November 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
6. "Penang's Faiz Subri scores Roberto Carlos-esque wonder goal in Malaysia". ESPNFC.com. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
7. Arsenal FC tour of South East Asia 1975-RSSSF
8. "Walaupun Tanpa Fabregas, Wenger Janjikan Aksi Mengujakan" (in Malay). Mstar. 12 July 2011. Archived from the original on 5 October 2022. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
9. Masa depan bolasepak M'sia makin cerah-Hamzah, Berita Harian at National Library Singapore.
10. BSC Young Boys tour
11. Bavarian All-Stars tour