Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi

Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi Overview

Located in UAE’s own ‘Garden City’, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain is the home stadium of Al Ain FC. Split over seven levels and boasting of world-class architecture, it is one of the premiere sporting venues in the country. The enormous stadium can seat up to 30,000 people, but its well-planned architecture ensures shade for all without feeling over-crowded.

Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium was unveiled to the public in December, 2013. The following year, it was voted ‘Stadium of the Year’. Since then, it has hosted the 2017 and 2018 FIFA Club World Cups. Most recently, the magnanimous stadium was the host of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup in January 2019. With the growing popularity of football in the UAE, and the 2022 World Cup to be held in Qatar, Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium is a must-visit destination for any sports fan.

How to Reach Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium

Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium is located at 130th Street, Al Ain. It is 14 kilometres (15 minutes) from Al Ain Airport and 35 kilometres (40 minutes) from the border of Oman. It is around 150 kilometres (one and a half hours) from Abu Dhabi International Airport.

From Abu Dhabi:
You will need to take the Al Salamat exit at the roundabout and continue down 127th Street/ Hamdan Bin Mohammed Street. After crossing the Al Tawia Garden roundabout, the stadium will be on the left.

From Dubai:
You’ll need to reach Al Ain through the Dubai- Al Ain Road. On crossing the Al Hayer area, you’ll need to take the right exit at Al Ain Dairy farms and continue till Zayed Al Awwal Street. The stadium will be on the right.

By Bus:
There are bus services to Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium. The closest bus stops are Hamdan Ibn Mohammed Street, Al Ain Club, Dubai Islamic Bank, and Al Qalaa Petrol Station. The bus lines that pass these stops are Bus 380, 491, 950 and 970.

Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium Facilities

This stadium has been envisioned as more than just a sporting venue and is expected to include office buildings, car parking, playing fields and a sports hall. Development is underway towards apartment buildings, almost 50 restaurants, and even a grand, 170-room hotel. It is planned to be the heart of a larger community in the area.

At present, Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium is primarily a sports venue with lockers, practice pitches, and a fitness zone. With further development, the community will be towards mixed-used including an entertainment centre and additional infrastructure.

Architecture and Design of Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium

Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium was planned by London-based architecture firm, Pattern Design. The stadium’s most remarkable characteristic is its external façade. Made by fractural geometry, it was built to resemble the trunk of palm trees which are very common in Al Ain. At nights, this external façade is illuminated to display colours and patterns. Aside from this, the stadium’s roof includes 200 floodlights for night games and a bowl-shaped roof that acts as a parasol against Al Ain’s hot weather. It’s one of the stadium’s unique features that keep the stadium cool in all weather conditions. This is different from the architecture of other stadiums in the UAE that are based on European models and do not provide adequate solar protection.

Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium has a massive grandstand with 3,000 ‘premium’ seats, three-tiered seating in the east quarter and two-tiered seating in the north and south quarter. This is unique for a stadium of its size. It also has 10 luxury lounges for VIPs. The stadium has many energy-saving features such as solar heating, occupancy sensors, and a full lighting control system.