Bahrain is planning an integrated sports stadium, according to local media, which has quoted officials from the Southern Municipal Council.

The stadium, which has been dubbed as the ‘visionary stadium’, is likely to be located in the southern area of Sakhir and will have the capacity to seat 50,000 people.

The stadium is also set to include a shopping mall as well as facilities for other sports such as an Olympic size swimming pool.

The Southern Municipal Council said there is high demand for an integrated sports complex, according to Ahmed al-Ansari, council chairman of the Southern Municipal Council who was quoted in the local Gulf Daily News.

The stadium could also help Bahrain enter the race to host the Asian Cup championships, according to Al-Ansari, who also said the stadium could turn into a focal tourist point.