İzmir Atatürk Stadium

İzmir Atatürk Stadium (Turkish: İzmir Atatürk Stadyumu) is a multi-purpose stadium in İzmir, Turkey.^[1] It was named after the Turkish statesman Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. It is currently used mostly for football matches and occasionally for track and field events. The stadium holds 51,295 people.^[1] It was opened in October 1971, and most recently refurbished in 2005. İzmir football teams Altay S.K. and Karşıyaka S.K. occasionally use the stadium for high attendance matches. İzmir Atatürk Stadium's running track has ten lanes.^[2]

İzmir Atatürk Stadyumu

Full name	İzmir Atatürk Stadyumu
Location	İzmir
Coordinates	38°26′6″N 27°10′41″E
Public transit	Halkapınar
Owner	Ministry of Youth and Sports
Capacity	70,000 63,000 58,008 54,960 51,295 (2005–present)[1]
Record attendance	68,034 (Turkey-Malta, 31 October 1976)
Field size	105 x 68 m [1]
Surface	Grass[1]
Scoreboard	Yes
Construction
Broke ground	10 September 1968
Built	1968–1971
Opened	1971
Renovated	2005
Architect	Harbi Hotan
Main contractors	Kemal Uzan
Tenants
Altay S.K., Karşıyaka S.K.

The stadium hosted the 1971 Mediterranean Games, the Islamic Games in 1980 and the 2005 Summer Universiade. The stadium also hosted the Fortis Turkey Cup Final in 2009 in which Beşiktaş beat Fenerbahçe 4-2 to win the cup for the 8th time.

Singer Michael Jackson planned to perform at the stadium on October 7, 1992 on his Dangerous World Tour, but this show was cancelled due to illness.

Records

Attendance Records

Rank	Attendance	Date	Game
1	68,034	31 October 1976	Turkey – Malta
2	67,696	16 May 1981	Karşıyaka SK – Göztepe S.K.[A]
3	66,701	21 January 1973	Galatasaray SK – Fenerbahçe SK
4	62,825[3]	12 October 1971	France Amateurs – Turkey B
5	62,200	30 January 1989	Altay SK – Fenerbahçe SK
6	61,810	24 August 1994	Galatasaray SK – FC Avenir Beggen
7	59,406	15 November 1987	Altay SK – Galatasaray SK

A. ^ The official attendance was reported as 67,696, but the actual figure is believed to be anywhere between 80,000 and 85,000.