| El Menzah Stadium | |
| Fullname: | Stade Olympique d'El Menzah |
| Location: | El Menzah, Tunis, Tunisia |
| Coordinates: | 36.8398°N 10.1854°W |
| Broke Ground: | 1964 |
| Built: | 1964–1967 |
| Opened: | 1967 |
| Renovated: | 1994, 2022– |
| Owner: | Government of Tunisia |
| Surface: | Grass |
| Architect: | Olivier-Clément Cacoub |
| Capacity: | 39,858[1] |
| Dimensions: | 105 x 68 m |
| Tenants: | Espérance de Tunis Club Africain |
El Menzah Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, located in El Menzah, Tunis, Tunisia. The stadium was established in 1967 on the occasion of the 1967 Mediterranean Games on the ruins of Vélodrome Stadium. Its capacity is 39,858 spectators.
The Vélodrome Stadium is the historical stadium that preceded Stade El Menzah. It was built in 1927 in the same location and became the stadium of US Tunis and Italia de Tunis. It had a capacity of 5,000 spectators.[2] The stadium was named after the president of US Tunis, Henri Smadja. It was also named after Carmel Borg, a Maltese businessman. So it became Stade Smadja Borg. It was the main stadium for the Tunisian national team in the 1930s and 1940s In addition to the Tunisian Cup final since the 1929 edition, before the construction of the Stade Géo André in 1942.[3] After World War II, the stadium was named again after Victor Perez, a Tunisian boxer who was World Fly Champion in 1931 and was killed in the Nazi concentration camps in Gleiwitz in 1945. After independence, the Stade Géo André was the stadium of the Tunisian national team, before the Vélodrome was demolished and completely rebuilt in 1967 after cooperation between Tunisian and Bulgarian engineers.[4]
In 2022, a complete restoration of the stadium will begin,[5] for a budget of 100 million dinars.[6] On 25 September 2023, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Kamel Deguiche, confirmed the progress made and anticipated the completion of the work in November 2024 under the joint supervision of the Ministries of Sports and Equipment.[7]
It is built to host the 1967 Mediterranean Games at the same time as the Olympic swimming pool and gymnasium. Since then, it is an integral part of Tunisia's main sports complex. Tunisia's three major football teams, ES Tunis, Club Africain and Stade Tunisien played their games there. The stadium was completely renovated for the 1994 African Cup of Nations. It has a capacity of 45,000 seats.[8] The VIP section consists of a grandstand and 2 salons that can accommodate 300 people in a "cocktail" configuration. The stadium hosted the matches of Tunisia national football team until the inauguration of the Stade 7 November in Radès in 2001.
It is expected that the rehabilitation works will start in late 2022 and will continue for two years, after a large part of the stadium was closed for years, in order to relieve the stadium of Radès, which now receives all the matches of the Tunis teams.
Popstar Michael Jackson performed his first and only concert in Tunisia, at this stadium during his HIStory World Tour on 7 October 1996, in front of 60,000 fans. Sting performed at the stadium during his Brand New Day Tour on 28 April 2001. Mariah Carey kicked off The Adventures of Mimi Tour at the stadium on 22 and 24 July 2006.