History

It is currently used mostly for football

Football (soccer)

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...

 matches and is the home stadium of Calabar Rovers

Calabar Rovers

Calabar Rovers FC are a Nigerian soccer team based in Calabar. They play their games at U. J. Esuene Stadium. For part of the 2009 season they will play games at the Uyo Township Stadium while Eusene stadium is being renovated for the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup....

 and previously Dolphins F.C. (Port Harcourt). The stadium has a capacity of 12,000 and opened in 1977. It has been short-listed as a stadium for the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup

2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup

The 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup was the thirteenth tournament of the FIFA U-17 World Cup held in Nigeria from October 24 to November 15, 2009.The tournament was won by Switzerland, beating 1-0 the host team, Nigeria...

.

The U. J. Esuene Stadium was inaugurated on the 2 April 1977 with a match between Benin's Bendel Insurance F.C. and newly-formed Calabar Rovers

Calabar Rovers

Calabar Rovers FC are a Nigerian soccer team based in Calabar. They play their games at U. J. Esuene Stadium. For part of the 2009 season they will play games at the Uyo Township Stadium while Eusene stadium is being renovated for the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup....

 of Calabar. Two weeks later, the stadium hosted an international encounter between Enugu Rangers

Enugu Rangers

Rangers International football club of Enugu popularly called Enugu Rangers is one of only two Nigerian division one football teams that has never been relegated.-History:...

 and Tonnerre Yaoundé

Tonnerre Yaoundé

Tonnerre Kalara Club of Yaoundé are a football club based in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The club was most prominent during the 1980s, winning all of their 5 national championship during the decade. They have also won the national cup 5 times...

 - a game that featured the likes of Roger Milla

Roger Milla

Roger Milla is a retired Cameroonian footballer who played as a striker. He was one of the first African players to be a major star on the international stage...

, Christian Chukwu

Christian Chukwu

Christian Chukwu Okoro is a Nigerian football former player and current coach. A defender in his playing days, he captained the Nigeria national team to its first win in the African Nations Cup.-Playing career:...

 and Emmanuel Okalla.

Built with capacity of 25,000, the stadium was renovated between 1998 and 1999, when its capacity was reduced to 12,000 to host matches at the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship

1999 FIFA World Youth Championship

The 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship took place in Nigeria between April 3 and April 24, 1999. The 1999 championship was the 12th contested.- Qualification :The following 24 teams qualified for the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship.-Squads:...

. A Brazil team including Ronaldinho

Ronaldinho

Ronaldo de Assis Moreira , commonly known as Ronaldinho or Ronaldinho Gaúcho, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Flamengo and the Brazilian national team as an attacking midfielder or forward. He is a two-time winner of the FIFA World Player of the Year, awarded to the best player over the year...

 and eventual winners Spain, who fielded Iker Casillas

Íker Casillas

Iker Casillas Fernández is a Spanish football goalkeeper who plays for the Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and the Spanish national team, being the captain of both...

 and Xavi

Xavi

Xavier Hernández i Creus , commonly known as Xavi Hernández or simply Xavi , is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club FC Barcelona, where he has spent his entire 14-year career....

, among others, played there.

Games at the 2003 All-Africa Games

2003 All-Africa Games

The 8th All Africa Games were October 5-17, 2003 in Abuja, Nigeria. 53 countries participated in 23 sports. The main venue was the newly constructed Abuja Stadium...

 were also played at the U. J. Esuene Stadium in October 2003, as were Nigeria's qualifiers for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations.

The stadium has been further upgraded to include an ultra modern electronic video-matrix scoreboard, with impressive floodlights. At Nigeria 2009, Calabar will host games in Group C, which includes Iran, Colombia, the Netherlands and Gambia.