They were meant to impress the world. Now they sit almost empty.
Billions were spent — but for what?
Here are 10 stadiums that were built or massively renovated for a single tournament or event, but have since fallen into disuse, are barely used, or were even dismantled.
1. Arena da Amazônia – Manaus, Brazil 🇧🇷
- Capacity: 44,300
- Built for: 2014 FIFA World Cup
- Status: A stunning jungle stadium with no major football team in the region. Rarely used, extremely costly to maintain, and almost always empty.
2. Stadium 974 – Doha, Qatar 🇶🇦
- Capacity: 40,000
- Built for: 2022 FIFA World Cup
- Status: It was said to be dismantled after the World Cup — the first temporary stadium in history. It was used only once and is now covered in dust.
3. Olympic Stadium – Athens, Greece 🇬🇷
- Capacity: 69,000
- Built for: 2004 Olympics
- Status: Hosted opening/closing ceremonies and athletics events. Since then, little use. Most Olympic venues in Athens are now overgrown or abandoned.
4. Education City Stadium – Al Rayyan, Qatar 🇶🇦
- Capacity: 40,000
- Built for: 2022 FIFA World Cup
- Status: Called the “Diamond in the Desert,” it was meant to be a hub for university and community use. Since the World Cup, it has seen minimal activity and has no club tenant.
5. Bird’s Nest Stadium – Beijing, China 🇨🇳
- Capacity: 80,000
- Built for: 2008 Summer Olympics
- Status: An architectural marvel that turned into a tourist site. No football club or athletic team plays there regularly.
6. Al Thumama Stadium – Doha, Qatar 🇶🇦
- Capacity: 40,000
- Built for: 2022 FIFA World Cup
- Status: Used for 8 World Cup matches. Future use is uncertain. Like many Qatar venues, it has no permanent tenant and sees minimal activity.
7. Estádio Municipal de Coimbra – Portugal 🇵🇹
- Capacity: 30,000
- Built for: UEFA Euro 2004
- Status: Now used by a lower-division club with tiny crowds. The stadium remains mostly empty.
8. Olympic Stadium – Montreal, Canada 🇨🇦
- Capacity: 56,000
- Built for: 1976 Olympics
- Status: No permanent tenant. Nicknamed “The Big Owe” due to massive cost overruns. Hosts occasional events but mostly sits empty.
9. Itaipava Arena Pernambuco – Recife, Brazil 🇧🇷
- Capacity: 46,000
- Built for: 2014 FIFA World Cup
- Status: No top-flight team uses it. Expensive to maintain, rarely full.
10. Arena das Dunas – Natal, Brazil 🇧🇷
- Capacity: 32,000
- Built for: 2014 FIFA World Cup
- Status: No big matches, no tenant, and rarely used. A stadium that looks beautiful but barely serves a purpose today.
