Xankəndi Stadium (Khankendi / Stepanakert)

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It was officially opened in 1956 as Joseph Stalin Stadium. Later, the name was changed to Stepan Shahumyan Central Stadium (after revolutionary Stepan Shaumian).
The stadium was entirely renovated in 2004–5 and named Stepanakert Republican Stadium. During the renovation, the venue was turned into an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 12,000 spectators.With the most recent renovation in 2015, the natural grass was replaced with an artificial turf.Since the mid-1990s, football teams from Karabakh started taking part in some domestic competitions in the Republic of Armenia. Lernayin Artsakh is the football club that represents the city of Stepanakert. The Artsakh football league was launched in 2009.

The Artsakh national football team was formed in 2012 and played their first competitive match against the Abkhazia national football team in Sokhumi, a match that ended with a result of 1–1 draw. The return match between the unrecognized teams took place at the Stepan Shahumyan Republican Stadium, on 21 October 2012, when the team of Nagorno-Karabakh defeated the Abkhazian team with a result of 3–0.