Kamuzu Stadium

{{Short description|Building in Malawi}} {{Infobox venue | name = Kamuzu Stadium | image = Kamuzu Stadium exterior.JPG | caption = Exterior of the stadium | location = Blantyre, Malawi | opened = 1964 | renovated = 1968, 2004 | capacity = 65,000<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.actglobal.com/installation-play-by-play-kamuzu-stadium/ | title=Installation Play-By-Play: Kamuzu Stadium | date=31 May 2018 }}</ref> | surface = Act Global Artificial Turf, FIFA Certified | tenants = Nyasa Big Bullets FC<br>Mighty Wanderers FC<br>Malawi national football team (until 2017) }} The '''Kamuzu Stadium''' is a multi-purpose stadium in Blantyre, Malawi. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stadium holds 65,000<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.actglobal.com/installation-play-by-play-kamuzu-stadium/ | title=Installation Play-By-Play: Kamuzu Stadium | date=31 May 2018 }}</ref> people. This can be limited for safety reasons. Big Bullets and Be Forward Wanderers are tenants.

==History== The stadium was originally named Rangeley Stadium during the colonial era to commemorate British civil servant William H. J. Rangeley.<ref>Owen Kalinga, ''The Historical Dictionary of Malawi'', page 411.</ref> It later became known as Kamuzu Stadium, after Malawi's first President, Hastings Kamuzu Banda, when Malawi gained independence from Britain. The main stands were designed and drawn by L Jeffery and Steve Price, the works completed in 1968. After Kamuzu's presidency, the name was changed to '''Chichiri Stadium''' under President Bakili Muluzi; however, under Muluzi's successor, Bingu wa Mutharika, the name Kamuzu Stadium was restored in 2004.<ref>[http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-13370512_ITM "Malawian president orders three facilities named after founding father Banda"], BBC Monitoring International Reports, September 15, 2004.</ref>

FIFA through its GOAL programme has sponsored the renovation of the natural grass pitch into a synthetic football pitch. This artificial turf field, called Xtreme Turf, has been manufactured and installed by Act Global.

President Peter Mutharika's inauguration ceremony was held at Kamuzu Stadium on 2 June 2014.<ref>Zawadi Chilunga, [http://www.nyasatimes.com/2014/06/02/mutharika-regrets-jbs-snub-in-power-handover-muluzi-cheered/ "Mutharika regrets JB's snub in power handover: Muluzi cheered"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606212425/http://www.nyasatimes.com/2014/06/02/mutharika-regrets-jbs-snub-in-power-handover-muluzi-cheered/ |date=2014-06-06 }}, ''Nyasa Times'', 2 June 2014.</ref>

==See also== * Mzuzu Stadium *List of Malawian stadiums

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/trust/specials/1333_malawi_fifa/ Illustrated BBC World Service story about an AIDS awareness event held at Kamuzu] *[https://cafe.daum.net/stade/Dlwn/14 Photos] at [https://cafe.daum.net/stade/ cafe.daum.net/stade] *[http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/africa/malawi/blantyre_kamuzu.shtml Photos] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060316095418/http://www.worldstadiums.com/ |date=2006-03-16 }} at [http://www.worldstadiums.com/ worldstadiums.com]

Category:Football venues in Malawi Category:Athletics venues in Malawi Malawi Category:Buildings and structures in Blantyre Category:Multi-purpose stadiums in Africa Category:Buildings and structures in the Southern Region, Malawi Category:Olympic athletics venues Malawi Category:Sport in Malawi Category:Rugby league stadiums in Malawi Category:Music venues in Malawi Category:Sports venues in Malawi Category:Stadiums in Malawi Category:Sport in Blantyre