In 1940, Iran's then Prime Minister Mohammad-Ali Foroughi visited Shiraz and proposed a project for Shiraz to make a bid for holding the 1976 AFC Asian Cup with Shiraz as second host city. The operation of the venue was officially begun on 1 March 1945 and after near ten months, the stadium was opened in January 1946. The opening match was between Bargh Shiraz and CD Castellón in a friendly match, held on 20 January 1946 which Bargh won 1-0.