Irbid, July 13 (Petra) — Major infrastructural defects dating back
to a 2016 renovation have delayed the rehabilitation of the Al-Hassan
Stadium in Irbid, Minister of Youth Raed Adwan said on Monday.

Speaking at a meeting with local pro league football clubs, Adwan
said that the ministry is expanding the scope of work to completely
overhaul the stadium’s infrastructure to meet Asian Football
Confederation (AFC) and international standards.

The meeting was attended by the Vice President of the Jordan Football
Association (JFA) Marwan Jumaa, Irbid Governor Firas Abu Al-Ghanam,
and various local sports and industry officials.

Adwan explained that while the initial government-tendered project
only required excavating 30 centimeters to change the topsoil and
natural turf, subsequent technical inspections revealed deep systemic
issues. Contractors must now dig down 1.1 to 1.2 meters to replace
flawed foundations installed during the 2015-2016 renovation.

A technical committee involving the Royal Scientific Society and the
Ministry of Public Works identified a faulty drainage network beneath
the pitch. The defect caused seasonal waterlogging, which triggered
recurring turf diseases and forced the stadium to close for two to
three months every year.

The minister stated that legal measures are being pursued regarding
the non-compliant work carried out in the previous decade, adding
that extra funds have been allocated to ensure the facility’s
long-term sustainability. The full overhaul is expected to take
around 120 days.

JFA Vice President Jumaa said the football association will
coordinate closely with the ministry to monitor construction
milestones and arrange alternative venues for the upcoming first-leg
matches of the local league.

Club presidents from regional teams, including Amer Abu Obeid of
Al-Hussein Irbid, Khaled Al-Zoubi of Al-Ramtha, Khaled Al-Shloul of
Doqarah, and Youssef Al-Khasawneh of Al-Arabi, backed the expanded
repair strategy.

However, the club officials urged authorities to provide alternative
training pitches in northern Jordan and requested financial
assistance to mitigate the economic losses resulting from the
stadium’s closure.

//Petra// AF