While some stadiums are always packed with fans and an electrifying atmosphere, others sit almost abandoned, waiting for events that happen very rarely. Some were built for specific tournaments, while others are simply too big for their teams. Here are the 10 most impressive stadiums where very few or no games are played.
10. Moses Mabhida Stadium (South Africa)
Another stadium built for the 2010 World Cup, this one is located in Durban and is often more of a tourist attraction than a football arena, due to the lack of a strong local team.
9. Kaohsiung National Stadium (Taiwan)
This spectacular stadium was built for the 2009 World Cup, but Taiwan does not have a large football stadium, so it is rarely used for matches.
8. Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos (Chile)
One of the largest stadiums in South America, this arena is mainly used for international matches and major events, but not for weekly matches.
7. Bukit Jalil National Stadium (Malaysia)
Although it is the largest stadium in Malaysia with a capacity of 87,000, it is rarely used for regular football matches and usually hosts special events such as cup finals or international tournaments.
6. Arena da Amazônia (Brazil)
Built in the middle of the jungle for the 2014 World Cup, this stadium has seen very little use since the tournament ended and is one of the most well-known examples of “ghost stadiums”.
5. Fisht Stadium (Russia)
Originally built for the 2014 Winter Olympics and then used for the 2018 World Cup, this stadium is located in Sochi and does not have a strong home team to justify its regular use.
4. Cape Town Stadium (South Africa)
Built for the 2010 World Cup, this spectacular stadium in Cape Town is too big for the local teams and is mainly used for music events and concerts.
3. Estadio Municipal de Aveiro (Portugal)
This stadium was built for Euro 2004 and has a capacity of 30,000 seats. However, the home team does not have a large fan base, and the stadium is rarely used for official matches.
2. Olympic Stadium (Greece)
One of the largest stadiums in Greece, it was built for the 2004 Athens Olympics. After the tournament, it was rarely used for football matches, although some teams such as AEK Athens have used it from time to time.
1. Estadio Nacional Mane Garrincha (Brazil)
This magnificent stadium in Brazil was rebuilt for the 2014 World Cup, at a cost of over $900 million. After the tournament, it saw very little use for football matches, as no major clubs use it as their home ground.
Why are these stadiums underused?
The main reasons why stadiums sit unused are:
High maintenance costs.
Lack of major local teams.
Building them for specific events and not for everyday use.
