Bahrain National Stadium

Shaikh Isa Sports City sits in East Riffa, and the national stadium is its central feature.

It has been a fixture in the Southern Governorate since the early 1980s, built before the modern renovations that reshaped the wider complex. While the original architects remain unnamed in public records, the facility has seen changes over the decades, including updates to the seating and the surrounding infrastructure.

Major events have brought large crowds to the site. The attendance record for a football match is reported as 35,000 for the Arabian Gulf Cup game against Oman in 2013, a figure that suggests the standing areas were full. Another notable gathering was the 2003 Arabian Gulf Cup final, where Bahrain defeated Saudi Arabia. The venue also hosted Pope Francis during his visit in November 2022, drawing an estimated 30,000 attendees for the Papal Mass. These events highlight the stadium's role beyond just football, serving as a gathering place for the country.

Local clubs like Riffa S.C. and Al Khaldiya SC call the ground home, sharing the space with the national team. The stadium does not have a dedicated official website, and the management falls under the Bahrain Football Federation or the Ministry of Youth and Sports. The capacity is often cited as 24,000, though some sources suggest a higher total for special occasions.