Football stadiums can be considered grand cathedrals where the roar of the crowd meets the beauty of the game. Iconic stadiums like Maracanã or even Old Trafford will be forever etched in the memory of the whole world because of the beautiful moments they create.
However, not every football ground is an architectural marvel or a theatre of pulsating atmospheres. Some have fallen into disrepair, some are badly designed, or simply fail to deliver the magic and spectacle that fans desire.
Note: There are hundreds of stadiums in the world that, on their condition alone, easily deserve a listing of ‘The Worst’, places so run down and outdated they would not consider hosting a friendly, let alone an international.
However, the following inclusions have played host to an international and have been highlighted with Google reviews. These are the stadia that, despite being so renowned in the world, still manage to disappoint.
1. Al-Shaab Stadium
Location: Baghdad, Iraq
Capacity: 40,000
Home to: Al-Shorta SC
The worst football stadium in the world is Al-Shaab Stadium in Baghdad, Iraq.
A ramshackle stadium encapsulates everything one would wish to avoid in a football stadium: poor design, uninspiring atmosphere, and an abysmal shortage of goals.
It manages to average only one goal per game, which makes it one of the dreariest places a spectator could hope to visit. A 4.0 rating on Google goes very little way to disguise the fact that Al-Shaab is greatly in need of modernization, let alone improvement in pitch conditions.
How sad it is that such an uninspiring stadium should be a lot of the country with such a great history of football.
Discomfortingly unexciting for those fans hardy enough to put up with it, every crack and every faded seat testifies to the age of the stadium. The Al-Shaab Stadium is rather an experience to be avoided by visitors.
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2. March 28 Stadium
Location: Benghazi, Libya
Capacity: 40,000
Home to: Libya national football team
The March 28 Stadium is located in Benghazi, Libya, while it also finds its place in the worst list because it has outdated infrastructure, along with a lack of modern facilities and amenities.
Found with a Google rating of 3.8, which is the lowest on this list, over the years, the stadium has struggled for years with neglect and insufficient upkeep.
The pitch is never even, while the stands are anything but comfortable; going to see a game is more of a chore than a treat.
Being the home of the Libyan national football team, the March 28 Stadium hasn’t seen any major developments in many years and is still getting further from modern standards.
Its full capacity – 40,000 – is seldom used since matches seldom draw big audiences further lessening the atmosphere.
3. Nagai Stadium
Location: Osaka, Japan
Capacity: 47,816
Home to: Cerezo Osaka
Nagai Stadium in Osaka has a sizeable capacity of almost 48,000; however, it fails to impress as far as footballing experiences are concerned.
First, the track that runs around the large pitch ensures that fans are a great distance from the action; this makes the atmosphere detached and impersonal.
This flaw in the design alone has resulted in wide criticism from both sets of fans and players alike. Sometimes, the poor condition of the pitch is enough to make one realize how exactly unwell-kept it has been.
It lacks the energy and fervour that a stadium should have.
It does not help matters that Nagai Stadium sees an average of only one goal per game; the place makes spectators leave wanting more.
The venue has hosted big events such as the FIFA World Cup, but from then on, it was relegated to the status of an uninspiring local ground for Cerezo Osaka. The low 4.0 Google rating reflects the inability to meet the expectations of those who visit.
4. Kashima Soccer Stadium
Location: Kashima, Japan
Capacity: 40,728
Home to: Kashima Antlers
Another Japanese venue that makes the list — Kashima Soccer Stadium, home of the Kashima Antlers.
In as much as the Antlers happen to be one of the most successful football clubs in Japan, their home ground doesn’t quite match the talent. The design of this stadium is a bit underwhelming, and fans often claim there is a general lack of atmosphere at most matches.
In this regard, with a seating capacity of 40,728, it is by no means small, but often the crowd feels disjointed in this particular stadium.
It has also been criticized for its poor quality, and in rainy conditions, it turns into a mess. While Kashima Soccer Stadium has a reasonable Google rating of 4.3, this is not getting it out of the bottom range.
It simply does not have the spirit and character that is associated with special football grounds.
5. Peter Mokaba Stadium
Location: Limpopo, South Africa
Capacity: 41,733
Home to: Baroka FC, Polokwane City
Peter Mokaba Stadium was built during the 2010 FIFA World Cup but failed to live up.
The stadium has a capacity of 41,733 splendid ability to blend in. Realistically, though, the stadium does look rather oversized for general attendees and the filling thereof for local clubs like Baroka FC and Polokwane City seldom finds the need to get the stadium filled to its full capacity.
This makes the matches during most periods half-filled, not allowing for a good atmosphere.
While modern, the design has aged rather poorly, and the seating is frequently considered uncomfortable. The poor maintenance also contributes to the poor state of infrastructure, especially where some parts are badly worn out.
Even though it is still in operation, Peter Mokaba Stadium is one such example of how an event once held cannot keep a stadium’s reputation going in the long run.
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6. Hang Jebat Stadium
Location: Krubong, Malaysia
Capacity: 40,000
Home to: Melaka FC
The Hang Jebat Stadium in Malaysia is another big venue in terms of size but short on substance.
The 40,000-capacity stadium of Melaka FC often falls flat because the distance between the stand and the pitch is too big, adding to the sterile design of the venue.
Factor in some poor pitch conditions along with the general dearth of modern amenities, and it is obvious why this would be a stadium that wouldn’t leave such a dent.
Though it has a rating of 4.1 on Google, its location in the middle of nowhere doesn’t do any good for the stadium. Spectators seem to complain a lot about reaching the stadium because it has very little public transport available.
While Hang Jebat Stadium isn’t bad as far as basic functionality goes, it isn’t going to make a modern football facility wow anyone.
7. Levy Mwanawasa Stadium
Location: Ndola, Zambia
Capacity: 40,800
Home to: ZESCO United, Zambian national team
The second is the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, which is named after the third president of Zambia. Situated in Ndola, this stadium has only one saving grace: it is the home to the national team and has a slightly higher goals-per-game average of 2.
However, this is not good enough to save it from the critics.
Poor acoustics have seen it become notorious for having a weak atmosphere. Even with a crowd of more than 40,000, its design dilutes the sound and makes fans feel farther from the action.
It has often been described as not being in the best state of condition, while the seats, although perfectly adequate, are hardly the epitome of comfort.
Coupled with a 4.1-star Google rating, Levy Mwanawasa Stadium has a lot of work to do to be regarded as one of the great football stadiums anytime soon. For now, it’s the stadium that never was as good as it could have been.
8. Adrar Stadium
Location: Agadir, Morocco
Capacity: 45,480
Playing ground: Hassania Agadir, Moroccan national team
Despite playing host to Morocco’s national team and Hassania Agadir, Adrar Stadium has unfortunately failed to capture the imagination of football fans.
While it does carry a solid Google rating of 4.4, therefore carrying some redeeming qualities with it, it still ranks as one of the least impressive stadiums on the international stage.
Its biggest failing is that of the atmosphere because the size of the stadium often works against it when it is not filled.
This modern stadium design lacks warmth and personality, while the pitch has repeatedly been lambasted for its unevenness.
Adrar Stadium is the epitome of how size isn’t everything when it comes to football stadiums. This place will always remain a big, echo-y space without the passion, energy, and character that comes along with it.
9. Pratt & Whitney Stadium
Location: East Hartford, USA
Capacity: 40,000
Home to: Various
The only North American entrant on the list is Pratt & Whitney Stadium, otherwise more commonly known as Rentschler Field.
While the facility has hosted several football matches and friendlies, the actual stadium itself is a bit dull. Situated in East Hartford, Connecticut, the stadium feels more like a multi-purpose arena than an actual football-specific ground.
The seating is present but certainly not overly comfortable, and the design lacks anything that would make it distinctive in any way.
Though the goals-per-game average is 2, suggesting matches are slightly more exciting than some other venues on this list, the stadium does not have that energy that makes a football stadium truly special.
The design is very bland, and the location is not ideal for a strong football culture to rise up around the venue.
10. Stade Mohamed V
Location: Casablanca, Morocco
Capacity: 45,000
Home to: Wydad AC, Raja CA
Rounding up the list is Morocco’s Stade Mohamed V. Being the home of two of the country’s biggest clubs, Wydad AC and Raja CA, there seems to be a lack of finesse and overall buzz in this stadium.
The seating and amenities are ancient, with fans also often complaining about the uncomforting conditions of the venue. The quality of the pitch is uneven, and with the matches here averaging 2 goals per game, the atmosphere inside the stadium is seldom ripe.
With its capacity for 45,000 fans, Stade Mohamed V should be a fortress of passion in football.
It has remained, though, a stadium that underwhelms most of all because the historical weight of its clubs thus created expectations for it.
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