The 12 most stunning future stadiums as football prepares for San Siro to be replaced
THE iconic San Siro stadium is set to be replaced. Football fans lamented the news that Inter and AC Milan’s famous old ground will be making way for a futuristic new 60,000-seat ground close by. At the weekend Tottenham finally opened the doors on their £850million stadium and in recent years, clubs across Europe have […]
THE iconic San Siro stadium is set to be replaced.
Football fans lamented the news that Inter and AC Milan’s famous old ground will be making way for a futuristic new 60,000-seat ground close by.
At the weekend Tottenham finally opened the doors on their £850million stadium and in recent years, clubs across Europe have been looking at whether they need to renovate or replace their homes to lead them into the future.
Arsenal opened the Emirates in 2006, while Manchester City and Liverpool both increased capacity at their stadiums.
Chelsea had plans to demolish Stamford Bridge and replace it with a £1BILLION design – but have been shelved as Roman Abramovich battles visa issues.
Across Europe and the world, teams are building massive new venues with ever-increasing capacities.
And it’s not just limited to football, with giant new cricket and NFL stadiums to be opened in the next couple of years.
Here we run through the biggest and best new stadiums set to open in the coming years.
NOU CAMP, BARCELONA
As if Barcelona’s home wasn’t big enough.
The biggest stadium in Europe is set to get even bigger in 2022, with the club set to splash more than £500MILLION to modernise the famous ground.
As well as getting a face lift inside and out, the new Nou Camp will finally have a roof.
Capacity will also be increased to a whopping 105,000.
But they are not the only plans for the site, with renovations including a new 6,000-seat stadium, named after Johan Cruyff, for Barca B.
There will also be a 12,000-seat indoor arena for their popular basketball, handball, futsal, ice hockey and volleyball teams.
GRANDE STADE DE CASABLANCA, MOROCCO
Two Casablanca football clubs will share the massive new stadium, which will also house the Moroccan national team.
Raja Casablanca and Wydad Casablanca will now boast arguably the best stadium in all of Africa, when the 93,000-seat venue arrives in 2025.
The stadium was initially an idea when Morocco bid for the 2010 World Cup, which eventually went for South Africa, and was then another venue when they bid for the 2026 World Cup.
Morocco is hoping it’ll be third time lucky for the stadium – the country is set to launch a joint bid for the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal.
LUSAIL ICONIC STADIUM, QATAR
The stadium that will see the next world champions crowned in 2022.
This stadium, designed by British architects Foster + Partners, will host the World Cup final in Qatar.
Its still being built but is expected to be completed in some time next year.
After the tournament, there are plans to reduce the stadium from 89,000 down to 20,000.
Parts of the building will be re-purposed as a community space with shops, cafes, as well as healthcare and athletic facilities.
SANTIAGO BERNABEU, MADRID
Not to be out done by their bitter rivals, Real Madrid are also planning to renovate and modernise their famous home.
However, unlike Barcelona, Real will not see an increase to the 81,044 capacity.
Instead, the £500million project will see the outside of the stadium given a sleek new look as well as a fully retractable roof being installed.
The height of the ground will be raised by 10 metres, with an American-style Jumbotron mooted for installation that will give fans a 360-degree view of the action.
The private and executive boxes are also set to be improved.
NEW NATIONAL STADIUM, JAPAN
Another stadium that cost in excess of £1billion, the Tokyo stadium will be the home of next summer’s Olympic Games.
There have been consistent problems with the venue, however.
It was originally intended to be used for the Rugby World Cup this year but will not be finished in time.
Demolition of the old stadium started in early 2015, but original plans were scrapped by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe after public outcry over spiralling costs.
After a rebidding process slowed construction, the venue will now be ready in November.
During the Olympics, capacity will temporarily be 80,000, but that will be reduced after the Games.
It will then be used by the Japanese national football team, with capacity set to 68,000.
LOS ANGELES STADIUM AT HOLLYWOOD PARK, USA
The stadium is part of a mass redevelopment in Los Angeles which has cost an eye-watering £4BILLION.
Set to open in 2020, the venue will certainly get its fair share of use in the coming years.
It will be the home of two NFL teams, the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers, meaning it will be in weekly use every week between September and at least December.
Super Bowl LVI in February 2022 is slated to be hold at the ground, as is the College Football Playoff National Championship a year later.
For the 2028 Summer Olympics, the opening and closing ceremonies will be held at the ground, as well as the football tournament.
It was left out of the bidding process for the 2026 World Cup – but the organising committee will likely use the stadium when they re-evaluate stadium selection.
It will host 70,240 spectators during NFL but can be increased to 100,240 during special events such as the Olympics, Super Bowl and World Cup.
PUSKAS ARENA, BUDAPEST
The new home of the Hungarian national football team will be one of the most impressive venues in Europe when it opens at the end of the year.
It’ll likely get five-star status from Uefa and Fifa, meaning it will be able to host major European finals.
The stadium could be the home of the 2021 Champions League final.
Seating 67,889, the Arena will also host three group stage games and one last-16 match at the pan-European Euro 2020.
FEYENOORD CITY, ROTTERDAM
Since 2006, the Dutch giants have been considering plans for a new stadium – but have faced several different changes of direction.
They initially decided on a new 85,000-seat stadium, but then decided to redevelop their current ground, adding a roof.
However, Feyenoord changed their mind again in 2016 and decided to build a completely new venue, on a stunning location next to the Nieuwe Maas river.
Dubbed Feyenoord City, the development is expected to start in 2019 and be ready for the 2022-23 season.
The capacity will be 63,000.
BRAMLEY-MOORE DOCK STADIUM, LIVERPOOL
Everton are planning to build a massive new stadium within the Liverpool world heritage site on the docks.
The Toffees have been searching for a new home for years, with nothing coming of proposed moves to King’s Dock and Kirkby – as well as a potential ground share with Liverpool at Stanley Park.
In November 2017, the club agreed a 200-year lease for the docks, and some work has started on roads leading into the ground.
But there has been little news on what the stadium may eventually look like, with only leaked images appearing on social media.
Everton’s new ground is expected to cost around £500m, but there is no time frame on when it might be ready – it will also have 52,000 seats, which could be increased to 60,000 if needed.
The leaked images also claim the venue will be ready in 2023, with room for up to 15,000 safe-standing seats.
NEW MILAN STADIUM, MILAN
News that the famous San Siro stadium will be demolished was met with sadness by football fans.
The 80,018 ground, built with iconic swirling pillars in 1925 is one of the most memorable designs in the world.
Over the years it has hosted nine World Cup matches across two tournaments, three games at Euro 1980 and four European Cup finals.
Some of the world’s most famous artists have also played at the venue, with Bob Marley, Bob Dylan, David Bowie, The Rolling Stones and Madonna among those to have performed there.
Much like Juventus, the new Milan stadium will have a much smaller capacity but with much better views and full modernisation.
The new ground will lose about 20,000 seats from the San Siro and will have its naming rights sold for about £20million-per year.
It is expected to be ready in 2023.
STADIO DELLA ROMA, ROME
The same architect behind the plans for Everton’s new ground is already in the midst of building this new stadium for Roma.
The 52,000-seat stadium, however, has faced numerous difficulties during the construction process because of alleged corruption.
At least nine people have been arrested in relation to the building of the ground, which is currently delayed – there is no opening date at the moment.
The venue was set to be located next to the Tiber river, south of the Eternal City, but a proposal has been made to move it back more central as creating new transport and access could see costs spiral.
NEW SARDAR PATEL STADIUM, INDIA
The massive new cricket ground is the biggest stadium set to be built in the next decade.
Located in Ahmedabad, it will hold 110,000 people and will become the new home of the Indian cricket team as well as state side Gujarat.
It will become the second-biggest stadium in the world, behind only the May Day Stadium in North Korea (114,000).
Built on the same side as the old ground, which held 49,000 people, the previous building was demolished in 2015.
It is being built by Populous, the same firm that built the Emirates, Wembley Stadium and the new Tottenham Hostpur Stadium.
The ground is expected to open in 2020.
MOST READ IN FOOTBALL
AND ONE THAT MIGHT NOT GET MADE…
Bad news for Chelsea fans.
The political tension between Downing Street and the Kremlin means fans of the Blues may not get their dream new home.
After alternative sites at Earl’s Court, Battersea Power Station and the Imperial Road Gasworks were deemed unsuitable – and with opposition from the Chelsea Pitch Owners – Roman Abramovich decided to spend more than more than £1billion rebuilding Stamford Bridge.
The proposed 60,000-seat stadium had a stunning brick exterior that would make it one of the most eye-catching in world football.
With Abramovich currently the focus of a proxy war between the United Kingdom and Russia, and living in Isreal, the billionaire owner decided to ditch plans for the redevelopment.
In a statement the Blues said they do “not have a time frame set” for when they might return to the plans.
