- Address: Boulevard Triomphal, Kinshasa
- Country: DR Congo
- Capacity: 80,000
- Opened: 1994
- Main use: Football
- Tenants:
Extra stadium info – Stade des Martyrs de la Pentecôte
The construction of the Stade des Martyrs de la Pentecôte started in 1988. It is known as a venue for several events, like athletics, boxing, concerts, football and religious gatherings. The stadium hosted football matches with attendances above 100,000. In 2022, the famous African singer Fally Ipupa N’simba performed at an overcrowded Stade des Martyrs de la Pentecôte. 11 people were killed in a stampede at the packed concert.
The Rumble in the Jungle
The Stade des Martyrs de la Pentecôte became the largest sports venue by capacity in the city of Kinshasa. The Rumble in the Jungle, one of the most famous boxing matches, took place in the city of Kinshasa in 1974. The boxing legend who was known as Muhammad Ali won the game after defeating George Foreman in front of tens of thousands of fans. Muhammad Ali was born as Cassius Marcellus Clay. He became the first former professional boxer from the United States with 10 million followers on his main social media page.
Vita Club and Mazembe
AS Vita Club, the first football club from the Democratic Republic of the Congo with 10 domestic top-flight football league titles, played numerous home matches at the Stade des Martyrs de la Pentecôte in front of tens of thousands of spectators. Tout Puissant Mazembe from the Democratic Republic of the Congo played numerous away games at the Stade des Martyrs de la Pentecôte in front of tens of thousands of spectators. In 2010, they became the first African football club in a world championship final. TP Mazembe lost the FIFA Club World Cup game against the Italian side FC Internazionale Milano.
The national football team of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The national football team of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, nicknamed Les Léopards, played numerous games at the Stade des Martyrs de la Pentecôte. Les Léopards became one of the first national football teams from Africa with a value of at least $100 million. In 1968, they were crowned African football champions for the first time in their history after beating Ghana in Ethiopia. The team which was known as Zaire won their second African football championship title in 1974 after defeating Zambia in Egypt.
The FIFA World Cup
Les Léopards became the first team from Sub-Saharan Africa in a FIFA World Cup. They were known as the national football team of Zaire when they played their first-ever FIFA World Cup game. They played their first-ever FIFA World Cup match in 1974 against Scotland. The national football team of Scotland won the game in front of 25,000 fans in the German city of Dortmund. The national football team which is currently known as the national football team of the Democratic Republic of the Congo also lost their second world championship game. They lost their third FIFA World Cup match against Brazil, the first national football team with five world championship titles. Brazil won its fifth FIFA World Cup title in 2002 after beating Germany in front of 69,000 fans in Yokohama.
