World’s largest stadium set to lose unique title after being transformed into sports village

The world’s biggest sports stadium is the incredible Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, but it won’t be for much longer.

That is because Vietnam are planning to surpass this incredible cricket venue.

AFP

The Trong Dong is going to be built in Hanoi, and it will be 135,000, which is slightly more than the Narendra Modi.

That ground holds 132,000, so it is going to lose its title as the world’s largest capacity stadium.

The Trong Dong in Vietnam’s capital city is inspired by ancient Dong Son drums which were built of bronze and were inherent part of ancient Vietnamese civilisation.

The plan is for it to have a retractable roof, and it isn’t just going to be for sport.

The idea is for it to be a multi-purpose stadium for cultural events as well.

And construction is expected to be rapid as well, with a completion date of August 2028 targeted.

The Narendra Modi

Once the new Narendra Modi Stadium was finished in February 2020, it was thought by the architects that it would remain the largest sports stadium in the world.

Certainly, they didn’t foresee it to be surpassed just eight years later, but that is what is going to happen.

The Narendra Modi was first opened in 1986 before the reconstruction started in 2017.

Incredibly when it first opened, due to Covid, the majority of events played there were behind closed doors.

It has been mainly used for cricket since it opened, but the Indian government have big plans for the Commonwealth Games.

It hosted the 2023 ODI World Cup, and it will be holding the T20 World Cup final in a couple of weeks.

Getty

Getty

New look

There are also plans for a sports village to be built around it.

This complex is to include a tennis venue, aquatics centre and indoor arena.

The village, which will be named the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave, is being planned by architecture studios BDP, Cox Architecture and Collage Design.

BDP India head Manisha Bhartia told De Zeen: “Our vision for the Sports Enclave is to create an inclusive, sustainable and distinctly Indian destination for world sport.

“By drawing on Ahmedabad’s architectural traditions and blending them with cutting-edge design and technology, we are designing beyond single-use, sporting venues that decay over time.

“We are shaping new, visually beautiful places that will host the world’s greatest sporting moments, but also remain an active, vibrant part of the city’s everyday life for decades to come.”

The enclave is expected to be decorated with features that draw upon traditional Indian architecture.

Cox Architecture director Alastair Richardson said: “The rich architectural response, building on Indian modernity and tradition, has created a truly unique design full of meaning and context that will make a lasting experience for global sporting events as well as a legacy that goes beyond such events.

“This new public park and associated architecture will place Ahmedabad on the world stage for many years to come.”

Trong Dong Stadium

The Trong Dong

The idea of The Trong Dong is for Vietnam to become a destination to host huge international events.

That would be for FIFA, the Olympic Council or AFC.

It will specifically be built to the specifications of those governing bodies in mind.

In terms of cost, the whole thing is going to be priced at £28billion.

Inspiration has been drawn from Wembley, the Bird’s Nest in China and Qatar’s Lusail Stadium.

In a statement on the website about the ground, they said: “In Vietnam, the need for large-scale, integrated, and internationally standardised sports facilities is becoming increasingly urgent, especially as the country aims to participate more deeply in regional and global sporting events.

“Hanoi – the capital of the country – as the political, cultural, and diplomatic center, has the responsibility to take the lead in establishing national-level sports institutions that meet the requirements of sustainable development and international integration.

“In this context, the Trong Dong Stadium is being developed with the same strategic vision, focusing not only on its purely sporting function but also on becoming an architectural and cultural icon representing Vietnam in the new era.

“The construction of a stadium of comparable scale and quality to iconic global landmarks is seen as a significant step in the roadmap to improve national infrastructure capacity and Vietnam’s position on the world sports map.”