Diyala Stadium

The Diyala Stadium sits in Baqubah, the capital of the Diyala Governorate in Iraq. It is the home ground for Diyala Sports Club, a team that has just returned to the Iraq Stars League after winning the second tier in 2024. The ground is distinct among local pitches because it is surrounded by an athletics track, separating the natural grass pitch from the stands.

At its core, it is a modest facility with a capacity of roughly 10,000. This is not a venue for grand spectacle or international finals; it is a place for local competition. It has seen little national attention, serving primarily as a base for the local side rather than a host for the Iraqi national team or cup finals, which are reserved for larger venues in Baghdad or Basra.

The defining feature of the location today, however, is the shadow of the new project nearby. The "Diyala Olympic Stadium" is a separate, much larger complex rising from a stalled construction site first launched in December 2012. The original plan, funded by a Russian company, sat dormant for over a decade due to security and design issues. Work resumed in late 2023 with the laying of the first pillar, aiming for a 30,000-seat arena and a hotel. Until that new ground opens, the old Diyala Stadium remains the functional heart of football in the region.