Johannesburg - The world’s most stunning sports stadiums have been revealed and a South African stadium has made the list.
Recently, British sports betting platform Online Betting Guide (OLGB) revealed the most Instagrammed sports stadiums across the world, and South Africa’s FNB Stadium is one of them.
The Calabash, in Johannesburg, came in at number 13.
The Asgiriya Stadium, in Sri Lanka was named as the most beautiful sports stadium in the world, with 32% of all fan reviews on Tripadvisor containing the words ‘beautiful’, ‘aesthetic’, and ‘stunning’.
Folsom Field Stadium, based in Colorado was named the second most beautiful sports stadium, while LaVell Edwards Stadium, in Utah took third place.
Other stadiums that made the list included Stadion Kantrida in Croatia, Busch Stadium in the US, and R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Sri Lanka.
Richard Moffat, the CEO at OLGB, said intense research was done when compiling the list.
“When deciding on which stadiums to include in the study, we decided to look at the world’s biggest stadiums and where stadiums have been branded the most beautiful in other studies,” Moffat told the Saturday Star.
“Once we had this list, we could then look closely at how fans rated these stadiums based on appearance. Using Tripadvisor, we found the number of reviews each stadium had that included the words ‘beautiful’, ‘stunning’ and ‘aesthetic,’ as well as also using Instagram to see how many hashtags each stadium had.
“From this data, we could then conclude which stadiums can be classed as the most beautiful stadiums in the world and which were the most Instagrammable. The FNB Stadium in Johannesburg made it onto the list due to its large capacity as well as its aesthetic beauty.
“Alongside this large capacity, almost 8% of the reviews for the stadium included the words “beautiful”, “stunning” and “aesthetic”, proving that fans believed the stadium to be one of the most stunning in the world. The stadium also has over 19,600 hashtags on Instagram, so clearly people think the stadium is beautiful enough to post photos of it online.”
In the past, FNB Stadium has clinched several awards, locally and abroad, for its design and functionality.
Moffat said the unique architecture of the Calabash makes it one of the most beautiful stadiums in the world.
“Taking a look back at some of the reviews posted by fans about the stadium, the original architecture of FNB appears to be what attracts fans. They have mentioned the colours used on the exterior whilst also comparing the stadium to a “calabash” which could be seen as endearing to some.
“The interior has also not gone unmentioned, with fans referring to it as spacious, comfortable, and beautiful. It’s clear to see that the architecture and space have definitely contributed to fans viewing the stadium as one of the most stunning in the world.”
Asked whether any other South African stadiums were in contention to make the list of most beautiful stadiums, Moffat said no other local stadiums had been considered.
“Unfortunately not, when it comes to capacity FNB dominates in South Africa. However, if the list was to be extended further, perhaps South Africa’s Ellis Park Stadium and Odi Stadium would be considered since they have a capacity of over 60,000. Nevertheless, when taking a global view of these stadiums, we must remember that there are so many that could be considered, so using factors, such as capacity and beauty, are a sensible method for achieving this.”
Asgiriya Stadium in Sri Lanka took the crown for the most stunning stadium in the world, despite its small capacity, says Moffat.
“Despite Asgiriya’s small capacity of just over 10,000, the stadium's surroundings are what got it on the list.Being located in Sri Lanka’s capital, Kandy, the stadium is surrounded by stunning mountains that undoubtedly leave visitors in awe of the natural beauty.
“This was clear through the stadium’s reviews, with over 32% including the words “beautiful”, “stunning” and “aesthetic”, visitors aren’t shy of sharing their thoughts on Asgiriya’s stunning beauty.”
Further findings from the study revealed that FC Barcelona’s stadium was also the worlds most Instagrammable stadium.
“Camp Nou was named the world’s most Instagrammable sports stadium with almost two million hashtags on Instagram. The Spanish stadium is the biggest stadium in Europe and home to five-time Champions League winner FC Barcelona.”
You can view the full research here.