MAN UTD have confirmed plans to build a stunning 100,000 seater stadium near Old Trafford.
The vision, billed by Sir Jim Ratcliffe as the ‘Wembley of the North’, will cost a staggering £2billion to create.
Man Utd have confirmed plans for a new 100,000 seater stadium[/caption]
Plans are in place for the stadium to be ready to open in five years[/caption]
United have ambitiously proposed that it will be completed within five years.
While, the struggling club will fund the ground itself, while the UK government will help support the regeneration of the Trafford Park area around the stadium.
United’s planned stadium would become the largest in the UK – overtaking Wembley, which has a capacity of 90,000.
However, how does it compare to football stadia around the world? SunSport does the number crunching to tell you the biggest around the globe.
10. Estadio Azteca, 90,000
Found in Mexico City, the Azteca is the home of Club America and the Mexico national team.
It is the largest stadium in Latin America and sits at an altitude of 7,200 feet above sea level.
Steeped in history, it has hosted two World Cup finals – one won by Pele, another by Diego Maradona.
It also hosted the infamous England vs Argentina 1986 World Cup match, where Maradona scored the ‘Hand of Goal’, as well as the ‘Goal of the Century.’
It is currently under renovation to expand its seating from 87,523 ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
9. Wembley Stadium, 90,652
The home of football, Wembley is English football’s mecca.
The national team plays there, the cup finals and playoffs feature, while Oasis will be playing seven sold-out concerts from the summer.
It is currently the largest stadium in the UK, and second biggest in Europe.
The stadium was built by Australian firm Multiplex at a cost of £798 million – opening its gates in 2007.
Fun fact; it has the largest roof-covered seating capacity in the world.
Wembley Stadium is currently the largest stadium in the UK[/caption]
Wembley re-opened in 2007 at a cost of £798m[/caption]
8. King Salman International Stadium, 92,000
In its infant stages, the King Salman International Stadium is proposed to be the biggest stadium in Saudi Arabia.
It will play host to the 2034 World Cup final, set to take place inside the amazing Riyadh venue.
Designed by architecture studio Populous, it will have a capacity for 92,000 spectators.
Populous revealed: “The stadium will blend into its surrounding topography, with terrain and natural habitat forming part of the stadium’s roof.
“Aside from its aesthetic appeal, this design will provide effective shading and ventilation tailored to the desert climate.”
The proposed King Salman International Stadium will host the 2034 World Cup final[/caption]
7. Lusail Stadium, 92,349
Construction began on Qatar’s Lusail Stadium in 2017, and it hosted only three friendlies before it opened for matches at the 2022 World Cup.
It is cooled using solar power and is claimed to have zero carbon footprint.
However, there are plans for the stadium to be reconfigured into a 40,000-seat stadium.
Excess seating will be removed and other parts of the building repurposed as a community space with shops, cafés, athletic and education facilities, and a health clinic.
Qatar’s Lusail Stadium in Doha has future plans to shrink its capacity[/caption]
6. FNB Stadium, 94,736
Nicknamed the Calabash, it is the home of football and rugby union.
The South Africa nationals teams of both sports use it, while the South African first division team Kaizer Chiefs also play there.
Incredibly, the Chiefs hold the record attendance, which is over the current capacity, of 94,807 for a match against the Orlando Pirates.
Again, it’s a venue that’s steeped in history.
It was the site of Nelson Mandela‘s first speech in Johannesburg after his release from prison in 1990, and served as the venue for a memorial service to him on 10 December 2013.
The stunning FNB Stadium is the sporting showpiece of Johannesburg, South Africa[/caption]
Famously, Nelson Mandela memorial service was held at the stadium[/caption]
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5. Misr Stadium, 96,940
The Misr Stadium is Egypt’s entry into proceedings.
It is part of the Egypt International Olympic City, a large sports complex that has been under construction since 2015.
It will have a training ground, two indoor halls (one of them a 15,000-capacity arena), an Olympic-size swimming pool, and other buildings.
That’s being built with an eye toward the country’s possible bids for the Olympic Games or the World Cup.
Egypt’s Misr Stadium holds close to 97,000 fans[/caption]
4. Man Utd’s new stadium, 100,000
Set to be created by architects at Foster and Partners, the stadium would feature an umbrella design and a new public plaza that is “twice the size of Trafalgar Square”.
Three giant towers, inspired by the Red Devils’ trident, will dominate the skyline and hold up the “umbrella” – a sweeping glass and steel canopy above that will keep fans dry inside and outside what would be Britain’s biggest stadium.
Their own, tree-lined version of Wembley Way would stretch from beyond the current Holy Trinity statue, to well inside the existing Old Trafford with land currently used for a car park and freight terminal behind the Stretford End coming in to play.
3. Camp Nou, 105,000
Barcelona are currently reconstructing the Camp Nou to make it the biggest stadium in Europe.
They have invested a staggering £1.25billion into the project which will see the capacity rise to 105,000.
It was due to be completed in time for the club’s 125th anniversary last November.
There has been a fresh delay, though, according to Spanish sports news site Relevo, who report the earliest return is now slated to be October 2025.
While the report adds the stadium’s roof will not be installed until summer of 2026.
Barcelona’s Camp Nou will have the largest roof in Europe with their stadium rebuild[/caption]
The redeveloped Camp Nou won’t be finished until 2026[/caption]
2. Hassan II Stadium, 115,000
Projected to be completed in 2028, Morocco’s Hassan II Stadium will be the biggest stadium in Africa.
It is named after the late King Hassan II, who ruled from 1961 to 1999.
The proposed Hassan II Stadium was used as a bargaining chip, when Morocco had aspirations of hosting the 2010 World Cup, then 2026 World Cup.
They lost both bids, but will now share the tournament with Spain and Portugal in 2030.
Estimated costs are around £400million, which seems pretty cheap for now, but will surely rise.
The Hassan II Stadium in Casablanca, Morocco will house a capacity of 115,000[/caption]
Costs are estimated at around £400m[/caption]
1. The Rungrado 1st of May Stadium, 150,000
The Rungrado 1st of May Stadium in North Korea is the biggest in the world.
Officially, it can hold up to maximum of 113,281 spectators.
After a 2014 remodel which included the replacement of some bench seating with individual seats, observers estimated the capacity to be lower than its original build.
Still, in 2022 it was confirmed, if they so wish, The Rungrado 1st of May Stadium is still expandable to housing 150,000 fans.
It first opened in 1989, currently used for football matches, a few athletics events, and most often for the mass games of the Arirang Festival.
North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un held a 2022 New Year’s Eve party on the grounds there, while he has also delivered political speeches there too.
The Rungrado 1st of May Stadium in North Korea is officially the biggest stadium in the world[/caption]
Astonishingly, it can expand its capacity to a whopping 150,000 spectators[/caption]
