You must have seen how crowded football stadiums are. Ever wondered how much they cost to build? These stadiums are highly expensive, as they are equipped with modern technology and other facilities for the fans to ensure a comfortable experience.
There are thousands of stadiums across the world, and most of them cost millions of dollars to build. But which is the most expensive soccer stadium in the world? You will find your answer in this article about the 10 most expensive football stadiums in the world in 2023.
You may think that most of the expensive stadiums are in Europe, but that is not the case anymore. You are going to find out soon. Let’s begin.
Here Are the 10 Most Expensive Football Stadiums in the World in 2023
| Stadium Name | Construction Cost | Location |
| Wembley Stadium | $1.6 Billion | London |
| Mercedes-Benz Stadium | $1.6 Billion | USA |
| Singapore National Stadium | $1.1 Billion | Singapore |
| Tottenham Hotspur Stadium | $1.1 Billion | London |
| Al Bayt Stadium | $847 Million | Qatar |
| Lusail Stadium | $767 Million | Qatar |
| Education City Stadium | $700 Million | Qatar |
| Estadio Nacional | $640 Million | Brazil |
| Cape Town Stadium | $600 Million | Cape Town |
| Rogers Centre | $570 Million | Toronto |
You can see from the table that these stadiums were built at very big budgets; some of them even cost more than a billion! What is so special about them? Many things. Keep scrolling to learn more about them in detail.
1. Wembley Stadium
| Full name | Wembley Stadium connected by EE |
| Broke Ground | 30 September 2002 |
| Inaugurated | 9 March 2007 |
| Audience Capacity | 90,000 (all-seater) |
| Field Size | 105 m × 68 m |
| Surface | Desso GrassMaster |
| Yearly Maintenance Cost | Approximately $3.2 million |
Wembley Stadium is the most expensive football stadium in the Premier League and in Europe as well. It was built at the cost of $1.5 Billion, which makes it one of the most expensive stadiums of any sport. It can accommodate about ninety thousand people in all seating positions.
On 30 September 2002, the construction of the stadium broke ground. It took five years to complete the huge stadium. But Wembley has a long history. There was another Wembley, or the original one, which was built in the 1920s. The stadium was demolished in 2002, and the new one was built.
With ninety thousand seats, Wembley is the largest stadium in the UK. It has a 440 ft high crown known as the Wembley Arch that supports the 75% roof weight. Speaking of roofs, let’s talk about the technology it has. The roof is retractable and can be opened to let sunlight come in.
The stadium has so far hosted many important football games, including England home games and the FA Cup final, the season-opening FA Community Shield, the League Cup final, and many more important games. Also, it is scheduled to host the 2024 UEFA Champions League Final.
The stadium has many features for the fans, such as 2,618 toilets, more than any other soccer stadium in the world. Shahid Khan, the owner of Fulham FC, wanted to purchase the stadium from the FA to have full control of the stadium, but in the end, it did not happen.
Playing in Wembley stadium is a dream for many players. The stadium has a heritage of past glory and sorcery players can feel when entering the pitch. This prestigious stadium will be number one among the 10 most expensive football stadiums in the world in 2023.
2. Mercedes-Benz Stadium
| Former names | New Atlanta Stadium |
| Broke Ground | May 19, 2014 |
| Inaugurated | August 26, 2017 |
| Audience Capacity | 71,000 |
| Field Size | 105 m × 69 m |
| Surface | FieldTurf CORE |
If you are interested in sports, then you must have already heard the name of this stadium a good number of times. The stadium hosts several events, including American football and soccer.
With a budget of more than a billion dollars, the stadium broke ground in 2014, and after three years of regular work, the construction work ended in 2017. It has a capacity of fifty-five thousand spectators for a football match.
Though the stadium is mostly used for American football, it is also the home ground for Atalanta FC. The stadium has become quite popular among the fans for its greatness in size and comfortable facilities.
The stadium is one of the eleven stadiums that are going to host matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026. It is great news for the Atalanta fans as their home stadium is going to experience something new. The stadium is also used for other reasons, such as for concerts.
The construction was built on a budget of one and a half billion USD.
3. Singapore National Stadium
| Full name | Singapore National Stadium |
| Broke Ground | 29 September 2010 |
| Inaugurated | 30 June 2014 |
| Audience Capacity | 55,000 |
| Surface | Eclipse Stabilised Turf |
While talking about expensive stadiums, you may think of an Asian country at the end. But Asian countries have built some of the most expensive stadiums in the world lately, and the Singapore National Stadium is one of them.
The Singapore National Stadium was opened in 1973. But like Wembley, it was demolished, and a new stadium was constructed. The new stadium broke ground in September 2010 and was inaugurated in 2014. But why did they demolish the old one? Take a look at the old stadium, and then take a look at the new stadium, and you will understand.
The new stadium is one of the biggest domed structures in the world, featuring a naturally-ventilated design with a retractable roof. It is equipped with all the modern facilities for the spectators and serves as the home stadium for the Singapore national team.
Like most modern stadiums, the Singapore National Stadium has been built for multiple purposes. It can host several sports, including football, rugby, athletics, and cricket. About 1.1 billion USD were spent to build the stadium, making it one of the top 10 most expensive football stadiums in the world in 2023.
Fifty-five thousand people can sit and enjoy a football game in the stadium. Well, the number may sound low, considering there are stadiums with larger capacities but do not forget about the weather and climate of the country.
Singapore is a tropical country, and so the stadium’s roof reflects sunlight in order to insulate its interior. The surface of the stadium is called Eclipse Stabilised Turf.
The first game played in the stadium was a friendly match between Singapore Selection XI and Juventus in August 2014. And the first international game it hosted was Brazil vs. Japan. You can guess that the stadium was houseful during the match.
Since then, it has hosted tournaments like the 2014 AFF Suzuki Cup, 2015 Barclays Asia Trophy, 2018 AFF Championship, and many other important events. Apart from all the facilities, the stadium is attractive to the eyes. You will love to share some photos on social media with the stadium.
4. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
| Broke Ground | August 2015 |
| Inaugurated | April 2019 |
| Audience Capacity | 62,850 (all-seater) |
| Field Size | 105 m x 68 m |
| Surface | Grass |
If you are a fan of the English Premier League, then you surely have seen the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and must be waiting when you will see its name on the list. It is finally here. It is the home ground of Tottenham Hotspur FC.
Tottenham already had its old stadium but wanted to replace it with a modern stadium in 2016. So, the old stadium was demolished, and the stadium was opened in 2019. So, what new facilities does the stadium have? Many, actually.
- The stadium offers to navigate between levels
- Large changing rooms that are wheelchair accessible
- On match days, there are managed queuing system
The stadium has been designed perfectly so that you can enjoy the game equally from any seat in the gallery. There are multiple levels of the stadium, and you can reach every level by stairs. And for the handicapped or older people, there are lifts as well. The usage of the lift is a little restricted.
You will find four large screens inside the stadium for a better view of the game for the spectators. The two that are on the south side of the stadium are the largest ones you will see in any stadium.
You will definitely have a great experience watching football in this Tottenham Hotspur stadium with your friends and family. Security is not an issue there; you just enjoy the game.
5. Al Bayt Stadium
| Broke Ground | 2014 |
| Inaugurated | November 30, 2021 |
| Audience Capacity | 68,895 |
| Field Size | 105 m x 68 m |
| Surface | Grass |
The FIFA World Cup is arguably the biggest sports tournament in the world, and hosting it is an honor for any stadium. Many stadiums have to wait years to have that prestige. But the Al Bayt stadium was made to host the tournament.
Qatar was the host of the FIFA World Cup 2022. Ever since it was announced, Qatar had spent billions of dollars to ensure that fans from all over the world would remember the experience of watching football in Qatar.
The Al Bayt Stadium was built at the cost of 847 million USD. And the kind of facilities it provides. Honestly, it is worth the cost. You know how the weather in Qatar is, right? So, the whole stadium is air-conditioned so that foreign fans can enjoy the games with comfort.
The shape of the stadium is similar to a traditional Bedouin tent called Bayt al sha’ar. Designers had to spend days planning the body of the stadium to match the weather. Finally, they came up with the current design that allows cooling in summer and keeping warm in winter.
It has a capacity of over sixty-eight thousand fans at a time. It is the grandest stadium in the country and hosted the semi-final of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Qatar spent a huge amount of money on the stadium so that you can have the best stadium-going experience.
6. Lusail Stadium
| Original Name | Lusail Iconic Stadium |
| Broke Ground | 2017 |
| Inaugurated | November 21, 2021 |
| Audience Capacity | 89,000 (all-seater) |
| Field Size | 105 m x 68 m |
| Surface | Grass |
Another stadium is situated in Qatar. It was also built especially to host the FIFA World Cup 2022. The work of building the stadium started in 2017, and it took four years to complete. It has a capacity of eighty-nine thousand spectators.
If you want to rank by capacity, then it is the largest stadium in Qatar and in the middle-east as well. So, naturally, it hosted the final of the FIFA World Cup 2022. Like Al Bayt, Lusail is also fully air-conditioned to fight the heat of the desert.
The stadium hosted its first game on 22 November 2022, Argentina vs. Saudi Arabia. The stadium became a witness to one of the shocking moments of World Cup history as Argentina lost to Saudi Arabia by 2-1.
It is unfortunate that there were a couple of accidents in the stadium during the World Cup. However, as a spectator, you will have all the modern facilities provided by European stadiums. There are shops, hotels, and houses near the stadium to assist you in staying.
There are two large screens inside the stadium. Qatar is a land of desert, remember? So, there is bright sunlight in the daytime, and the screens are very bright so that you can watch them clearly during the day. All these certainly made the stadium very costly, despite having cheap labor.
7. Education City Stadium
| Broke Ground | 2017 |
| Inaugurated | 2019 |
| First Game | December 2019 |
| Audience Capacity | 45,000 (all-seater) |
| Field Size | 105 m x 68 m |
| Surface | Grass |
Qatar really has spent a lot of money to make the FIFA World Cup 2022 as grand as possible. They built eight new stadiums, and Education City Stadium is among them. And how much did it cost? It took 700 million USD to build the stadium.
The gallery can accommodate nearly 45000 spectators. The building activities of the stadium started in 2017 and were completed by the end of 2019. Fenwick Iribarren Architects did a splendid job in designing the stadium.
The facade of the stadium has triangles that create a diamond-like effect. People have also named it the “Diamond in the desert.” You will be astonished to see the stadium changing its color as the sun moves across the sky.
And at night, oh, what a sight it is! If you ever go there to witness a game, you should stay at night near the stadium. The stadium gets illuminated with thousands of diodes which make it look like a little paradise in the midst of a desert.
Education City Stadium has the first-ever permanent sensory room in the history of middle east stadiums. People with cognitive disabilities or with limited movements can enjoy the game from this room. The room is situated in one of the stadium’s sky boxes.
If you care about nature, then you surely know what GSAS is. It is a certification to indicate the sustainability of a property. Education City Stadium became the first ever stadium to get a solid five-star from GSAS for using sustainable materials, among which 29% are recycled.
So, if you visit the stadium, which seat should you look for? You can purchase a ticket to any gallery and any seat. You will be able to enjoy the game equally from any seat. The design was made in such a way.
8. Estadio Nacional
| Original Name | Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha |
| Inaugurated | 10 January 1974 |
| Renovated | 2013 |
| Audience Capacity | 72,788 |
| Field Size | 105 m x 68 m |
| Surface | Grass |
Brazil is a crazy nation for football. They love football and live football. Hence, no surprise that they would build one of the 10 most expensive football stadiums in the world in 2023. And mind you, it was built in 1974 and then renovated in 2013.
The renovation cost around 640 million USD, making it one of the most expensive stadiums in Africa. It can accommodate more than seventy-two thousand viewers. It has hosted several FIFA tournaments over the years.
The previous version of the stadium was demolished in 2010 to make a bigger one for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The stadium hosted a good number of games of the World Cup. Apart from hosting football games, the stadium is also famous for organizing concerts.
9. Cape Town Stadium
| Original Name | Green Point Stadium |
| Broke Ground | March 2007 |
| Inaugurated | December 2009 |
| First Game | 23 January 2010 |
| Audience Capacity | 55,000 (all-seater) |
| Field Size | 105 m x 68 m |
| Surface | Grass |
With a construction cost of $600 million, Cape Town Stadium stands in ninth position among the 10 most expensive football stadiums in the world in 2023. It has seating arrangements for fifty-five thousand people.
The stadium was originally called the Green Point Stadium and was inaugurated in December 2009. It was renovated with an increased seating capacity for the FIFA World Cup 2010. After the World Cup, it became a sustainable multi-purpose stadium.
The stadium is a pride of Cape Town city and has also become a tourist attraction for people. If you ever pay a visit to Cape Town, then you must take a tour inside the stadium even if there is no game going on.
10. Rogers Centre
| Original Name | SkyDome |
| Broke Ground | October 1986 |
| Inaugurated | June 1989 |
| First Game | 5 June 1989 |
| Audience Capacity | 55,000 |
| Field Size | 160 m x 100 m |
| Surface | AstroTurf |
Rogers Centre, also known as the SkyDome, is a multi-purpose stadium. It hosts different types of sports, such as baseball, American and Canadian football, Soccer, and others. It even hosted Wrestlemania 18 in 2002.
The capacity of spectators varies depending on the sport being hosted. If it is a Soccer game, then it can accommodate fifty-five thousand viewers. The construction of the stadium began in 1986 and ended in 1989. At that time, the cost was $570 million!
It has a large field size and is customized when soccer is played. The surface pattern of the stadium is Astroturf. You will have a unique experience of watching soccer from the gallery of the stadium.
Conclusion
This was the list of the 10 most expensive football stadiums in the world in 2023. These grand stadiums provide unique facilities and experiences to the spectators. They have a great capacity for accommodating thousands of fans.
These expensive stadiums are equipped with modern technologies and offer grand views. As a football fan, you should aim to experience live matches from these stadiums.
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