A FOURTH-TIER club has been crowned proud owner of “Stadium of the Year” in an incredible poll.
A recent survey – which attracted over 10,000 votes – has revealed the best ground on the planet.
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And iconic grounds like Real Madrid’s Bernabeu and River Plate’s iconic Mas Monumental have been left in the dust of a German side’s tiny, bargain of a stadium.
The ad hoc Arena im Ernst-Abbe-Sportfeld, which plays host to Carl Zeiss Jena in Germany’s Regionalliga – the fourth tier – has battered the competition to be crowned the world’s best ground.
The stadium holds just 15,432 spectators – around 90,000 FEWER than the soon-to-be-completed revamped Nou Camp.
Despite that, voters of StadiumDB.com’s poll have bestowed the incredible honour upon the ground, which was built in 1974 and completely renovated in 1995.
The arena – used by Gareth Southgate’s England ahead of their Euro 2024 campaign – earned 15,329 points, narrowly edging out the £1billion, 80,000-seater Bernabeu (15,081 points) – which is set for yet another expansion just one year after it’s latest upgrade.
The £400m, 51,000-seater Stade Hocine Aït Ahmed in Algeria came in third, with the Stade Ali La Pointe – also in the North African nation – ranked fourth, with those grounds the only others in the survey to attract over 10,000 points.
The intimidating Mas Monumental – which hosts 85,000 passionate River Plate fans – was good only for fifth, garnering just shy of 8,000 points.
Atalanta’s Gewiss Stadium was a surprise name in seventh – Europe’s third-top-ranking ground, with no Premier League stadiums making the list.
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That’s despite Tottenham’s £850m home largely being considered one of the best around.
The likes of Anfield, the Emirates and Old Trafford are also big-name snubs, with Wembley also ignored.
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However, Manchester United recently announced plans for a stunning £2bn new home – attracting largely negative reviews from fans.
Yet experts reckon United will go way over budget and say the cornerstone of the plans are unlikely to ever see the light of day.
What we know about the ‘new’ Old Trafford
MANCHESTER UNITED plan to build a new stadium rather than redevelop Old Trafford.
The decision was made after a number of fact-finding missions to other stadiums including the Bernabeu and Nou Camp.
The cost of the project is expected to be a staggering £2billion.
A capacity of 100,000 is expected.
It is felt that a club of United’s standing should have a new state-of-the-art facility.
The new stadium will be built on land adjacent to the Red Devils’ current home.
United are looking to not only build a stadium but regenerate the area of Trafford where the ground will stand.
There had been plans to KEEP Old Trafford rather than demolish it, and use it as a scaled down second venue.
However, it’s looking increasing likely that it will in fact be entirely demolished.
The club consulted with 30,000 fans about what to do and believe there is roughly a 50-50 split on staying or moving.
The club have appointed the architects Foster + Partners to come up with a “masterplan”. The company were behind Wembley Stadium.
Old Trafford has been United’s home since 1910.
The target is for completion by 2030.
