Al-Ain FC’s Hazza bin Zayed named Stadium of the Year 2014

The Hazza bin Zayed Stadium has been named Stadium of the Year 2014 by a website specialising in football arenas.
The jury at Stadium Database gave Al Ain FC's home ground an overall score of 7.850, and the 25,000-seater gained 9.000 for visual impact.
To win the award the stadium had to see off opposition from 30 other stadiums.
Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed, National Security Adviser, deputy chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council and honorary chairman of the UAE Football Association, said the victory was "yet another achievement for the UAE”.
Hazza bin Zayed Stadium opened in December 2013 and cost Dh619.3 million to build.
Last month, Grzegorz Kaliciak, founder of StadiumDB.com, said of the Al Ain ground: "This stadium truly stands out, not only in the Emirates but among all modern stadiums – even those planned for the future.”
He praised the seating layout and its sunroof, saying the facility, delivered by Pattern Architects, combined British design with German engineering.
It was specifically designed for harsh weather conditions, with shading, ventilation and cool hospitality facilities. "It's very likely to become a model for stadia built in this kind of climate conditions,” Mr Kaliciak said.
The public vote award went to Allianz Parque, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, home of Palmeiras. With a capacity of 43,600 it gained 134,725 points from 33,834 voters in 95 countries.
Source: The National