Changlimithang Stadium: Difference between revisions

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| tenants = [[Bhutan Premier League]] (Thimphu clubs) <br> [[BhutanBPL Super League]]Qualifiers <br> Thimphu [[Dzongkhag]] (District) League <br> [[Jigme Dorji Wangchuk Memorial Gold Cup]] (sometimes) <br> National Women’sCoronation Championship (sometimes) <br> [[Women's ThimphuNational League (Bhutan)|Women's National League]] <br> [[BhutanWomen's nationalThimphu footballLeague team]](sometimes) <br> [[Bhutan women's national football team]] <br> various youth teams

'''Changlimithang Stadium''' is a [[multi-purpose stadium]] in [[Thimphu]], [[Bhutan]], which serves as the [[national stadium]]. It is predominantly used for [[association football|football]] matches and is the home of the [[Bhutan national football team]], other national selections and a number of Thimphu-based football clubs. In addition to football, theThe stadium also regularly plays host to [[Women's association football|women's football]], [[archery]] tournaments, [[minifootball]] and some [[volleyball]] matches. The stadium was initially constructed in 1974 for the coronation of the fourth [[DrukKing Gyalpoof Bhutan]], [[Jigme Singye Wangchuck]], but was completely refurbished in 2007 in advance of the [[coronation]] of the fifth Druk Gyalpo [[Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck]]. [[Floodlight|Floodlights]]ing waswere added to the football pitch in 2009 and an evergreen turf was laid in 2012, to coincide with the start of the first season of the National League.

Located {{convert|2,3002300|meters|ft}} above [[sea level]], the stadium is one of the highest in the [[world]]. It has raised numerous [[controversy|controversies]] in [[Association football|footballing]] circles, as its significant [[altitude]] affects the absorption of [[oxygen]] in the [[human body]], offering considerable advantage to the home teams who are more accustomed to such conditions.

The stadium was completely refurbished and reopened in 2008 for the dual celebration of the coronation of the fifth Druk Gyalpo [[Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck]] and the centenary of the establishment of the [[House of Wangchuck]] and the reunification of the country.<ref name="RAO2">{{cite web|url=http://www.raonline.ch/pages/bt/sport/bt_stadium01.html|title=Thimphu: A face-lift for Changlingmethang|last=Dorji|first=Kinley|date=2006|website=raonline.com|publisher=RA Online / Kuensel|access-date=30 July 2014}}</ref> Redevelopment plans were drawn up by the [[Ministry of Works and Human Settlement (Bhutan)|Ministry of Works and Human Settlement]] in conjunction with the National Steering Committee for the Coronation Celebrations.<ref name="RAO2" /> The old stand which consisted of 6 rows of seating with a capacity of around 10,000 was completely demolished to be replaced with a stand consisting of 21 rows of seating.<ref name="RAO2" /> This stand would provide substantial seating not just around the area of the football pitch, but also down alongside the archery range.<ref name="RAO2" /> In order to complete this construction, the squash and [[basketball]] courts were demolished, although the increased size of the stand allowed for the creation of areas for [[table tennis]] and [[shooting sports|shooting]] as well as facilities for bathing and changing underneath the seating area.<ref name="RAO2" /> In addition to changes to the sporting venues within the facility, the Olympic association were provided with new offices, the royal pavilion was expanded to increase guest capacity and the banqueting hall was renovated.<ref name="RAO2" /> Two new parks were also created on the land surrounding the facility: one between the car park and the river and another nearer the archery range were laid out at a cost of [[Ngultrum|Nu]]&nbsp;2,000,000.<ref name="RAO2" /> These renovations took two years and cost a total of Nu&nbsp;230,000,000.<ref name="BBS1" /> The newly refurbished stadium was opened by Prince [[Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck]].<ref name="BBS1" />

Further refurbishment was announced in June 2016. The first improvements included installation of plastic seats on the concrete galleries, installation of additional [[Public toilet|restroom]] facilities, and expansion of player facilities, such as [[changing room|locker rooms]]. It was announced that plastic seats would be installed in other sections of the stadium pending budget. The Nu 35 million costs were provided by the [[government]] of [[India]].

As well as continuing to hold sporting events, the facility has been utilised for wider public occasions including the [[Wedding of Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Jetsun Pema]].<ref name="BBS2">{{cite web|url=http://www.bbs.bt/news/?p=6754|title=Thousands celebrate in Changlingmethang|date=15 October 2011|website=bbs.bt|publisher=[[Bhutan Broadcasting Service]]|access-date=30 July 2014|archive-date=13 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113105312/http://www.bbs.bt/news/?p=6754|url-status=dead}}</ref> Despite the increase in capacity a few years earlier, the stadium was unable to hold all of the people who wished to attend the occasion.<ref name="BBS2" />

Financial support from [[FIFA]] enabled the project to go ahead and work started at the ground in March 2012 with the artificial turf being laid in November and finished in December the same year.<ref name="Kuensel2" /> As part of a two-day visit to Bhutan in March 2012, FIFA president [[Sepp Blatter]] performed the ground-breaking ceremony for the new pitch, promising that FIFA would support Bhutanese football.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bhutanobserver.bt/5495-bo-news-about-fifa_to_help_bhutans_football.aspx|title=FIFA to help Bhutan's football|last=Yeshey|first=Lobzang|date=9 March 2012|website=bhutanobserver.bt|publisher=Bhutan Observer|access-date=30 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303173715/http://bhutanobserver.bt/5495-bo-news-about-fifa_to_help_bhutans_football.aspx|archive-date=2016-03-03|url-status=dead}}</ref> However, there were delays in completing the upgrade as cold weather at the beginning of the project prevented workers from starting construction and the monsoon weather in the summer hampered the ability of suppliers to deliver materials such as [[cement]] to the site.<ref name="TheBhut">{{cite web|url=http://www.thebhutanese.bt/changlingmethang-artificial-turf-delayed-fans-disappointed-and-players-settle-for-rbp-grounds/|title=Changlingmethang Artificial-Turf Delayed, Fans Disappointed And Players Settle For RBP Grounds|last=Dorji|first=Ugyen|date=25 July 2012|website=thebhutanese.bt|publisher=The Bhutanese|access-date=30 July 2014}}{{Dead link|date=June 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The delays were such that they nearly resulted in a postponement to the start of the national league, with the Bhutan Football Federation considering moving the initial matches to the [[Royal Bhutan Police]]'s ground.<ref name="TheBhut" /> The playing surface was manufactured in the [[Netherlands]] and was laid by companies from [[England]] and the Netherlands, as the first part of a two-stage series of works to install artificial turf at both Changlimithang and ''Changjiji'' football ground, also in Thimphu.<ref name="Kuensel2" /> The first match to be played on the new pitch was the opening match in the [[2012–13 Bhutan National League|inaugural]] edition of the Bhutan National League between [[Druk Pol F.C.|Druk Pol]] and [[Ugyen Academy F.C.|Ugyen Academy]].<ref name="Kuensel4">{{cite web|url=http://www.kuenselonline.com/first-match-on-new-turf-sees-three-headers/#.U9kFNfn1CFY|title=First match on new turf sees three headers|last=Phuntsho|first=Tashi|date=17 December 2012|website=kuenselonline|publisher=Kuensel Online|access-date=30 July 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130128022621/http://www.kuenselonline.com/first-match-on-new-turf-sees-three-headers/#.U9kFNfn1CFY|archive-date=28 January 2013}}</ref> The President of the Bhutan Olympic Committee, ''Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuk'', having officially opened the new playing surface, then took part in the first match as a player for Druk Pol.<ref name="Kuensel4" /> The total cost of the new pitch was estimated to $900,000.<ref name="Kuensel2" />

Unusually for a national stadium, and as a result of the conversion of the playing surface to artificial turf, the football field at Changlimithang is available for public hire and is extremely popular with people in Thimphu, with the pitch booked for public use from 5pm5&nbsp;pm - 1am most days during the week as office workers seek to make use of it<ref name="Kuensel5" /> and from 7am7&nbsp;am to 9pm9&nbsp;pm at weekends.<ref name="Kuensel6">{{cite web|url=http://www.kuenselonline.com/hired-out-for-14-hours-a-day-5-days-a-week/#.U9jk8_n1CFY|title=Hired out for 14 hours a day, 5 days a week|last=Phuntsho|first=Tashi|date=31 December 2012|website=kuenselonline.com|publisher=Kuensel Online|access-date=30 July 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130121095403/http://www.kuenselonline.com/hired-out-for-14-hours-a-day-5-days-a-week/#.U9jk8_n1CFY|archive-date=21 January 2013}}</ref> This has proved to be a valuable source of income for the Bhutan Football Federation. With teams needing to make bookings weeks in advance, the Federation made Nu 75,000 in the first fortnight that the pitch was available to the public, with the money gained from hire charges going towards financing additional artificial surfaces planned for elsewhere in the country.<ref name="Kuensel6" /> Demand for the chance to play on an artificial surface is now so great that the Bhutan Football Federation prepared to hire out the artificial pitch at Changjiji, once available only to train members of the national squad.<ref name="Kuensel7">{{cite web|url=http://www.kuenselonline.com/artificial-turf-raking-in-the-green/#.U9jlffn1CFY|title=Artificial turf raking in the green|last=Dorji|first=Kezang|date=19 November 2013|website=kuenselonline.com|publisher=Kuensel Online|access-date=30 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714114235/http://www.kuenselonline.com/artificial-turf-raking-in-the-green/#.U9jlffn1CFY|archive-date=2014-07-14|url-status=dead}}</ref> There are plans to open artificial surfaces in three more [[Dzongkhag]]s in the near future.<ref name="Kuensel7" />

[[Category:Multi-purpose stadiums in Asia]]