Independence Stadium (Namibia)

{{Short description|National stadium of Namibia}} thumb|Main gate of the Independence Stadium in 2019 {{Other uses|Independence Stadium (disambiguation){{!}}Independence Stadium}}

The '''Independence Stadium''' in Windhoek's Olympia suburb is the national stadium of the Republic of Namibia. Owned by the Government of Namibia it holds 25,000 spectators and is mainly used for association football events.

{{As of|2021}}, the stadium has been described as "dilapidated". The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has decommissioned the stadium in 2021 for it being sub-standard. No other Namibian stadium meets CAF's requirements. As a result, international games of the Namibia national football team will have to be played abroad.<ref>{{Cite news | title=National disgrace! | last=Nikodemus | first=Sheefeni | newspaper=The Namibian | date=11 August 2021 | page=20 | url=https://www.namibian.com.na/104286/read/National-disgrace }}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

The stadium hosted the wake of President Hage Geingob in February 2024,<ref>{{Cite news | title=Namibia's late President Hage Geingob's funeral amid surge in patriotism | last=Nyoka | first=Shingai | work=BBC | date=25 February 2025 | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-68374367}}</ref> and hosted a memorial service for Namibia's first president Sam Nujoma in February 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 February 2025 |title=Thousands gather for Nujoma’s last memorial service |url=https://www.namibian.com.na/thousands-gather-for-nujomas-last-memorial-service/ |access-date=1 March 2025 |website=The Namibian |language=en}}</ref>

==See also== *Sam Nujoma Stadium, the other large football stadium in Windhoek

==References== {{reflist}}

Category:Football venues in Namibia Category:Athletics venues in Namibia Category:Sports venues in Windhoek Namibia