Since the 1930s, it has hosted all major local football tournaments and some international matches. When a new tartan track was laid out at the oval for the country's initial hosting of the 1981 Southeast Asian Games, the venue became a hub for athletics and the football pitch's condition slowly deteriorated. It eventually became unsuitable for international matches which meant the Philippine national team would have to play their home games at an alternate venue. In 2010, the Philippine Sports Commission partnered with the De La Salle University to refurbish the stadium's football pitch. The stadium had undergone a major renovation program with the Philippine Football Federation spend for the renovation of the locker rooms, comfort rooms, and the fiberglass seats. The renovation was completed in 2011 and was first used for the game of Azkals against Sri Lanka in 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers round in July 3, 2011 which was the first international football game held at the stadium in the decades, where the Philippine national team won 4-0 overall. However, the pitch became detoriated again due to the number of football and rugby events, that led the PSC to convert it into an artificial turf in 2014. In 2015, its football pitch received the 2-star accreditation from FIFA, making it the first football pitch in the Philippines to have it. The stadium is due to undergo a major renovation after it was designated as the venue for the men's football event of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games New individual seats are to be installed in the spectator area of the stadium outside the main grandstand. The renovation also includes the upgrading of its rubberized track oval. The renovation will be funded from the given by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation to the Philippine Sports Commission. However while the parts of the stadium is completed such as on the pitch-side, the other parts of the stadium are still unfinished, even on the first day the football competitions at the SEA Games started. This led many criticisms from the netizens.
The first international rugby test in the stadium was held when the Philippines hosted the 2012 Asian Five Nations Division I tournament, which doubled as a qualifying tournament for the 2015 Rugby World Cup; the goal posts were erected just days prior to the tournament.
Entertainment events
On July 4, 1966, the Rizal Memorial Stadium hosted two sold-out concerts of the Beatles held in Manila and was one of only three cities in Asia they have ever played in. The combined attendance was 80,000 with the evening concert registering 50,000 paying audience and became the Beatles' second biggest concert ever.
COVID-19 pandemic
During the Philippine Government's "Hatid Tulong" program, the stadium was used as the designated temporary holding place for Locally Stranded Individuals. The number of individuals and families hoping to be sent back to their respective provinces exceeded the limit of capacity. This raised concerns over the resulting lack of social distancing and Health and Safety guidelines due to the hundreds of people being in close proximity. With the stadium being full, many other individuals who availed of the said program ended up sleeping and gathering outside the stadium complex.
