#12 Estádio Municipal de Braga, Portugal
Built more than a decade ago in 2003, the all-seated Braga football stadium is the home ground of Sporting Clube de Braga which competes in the Portuguese top division. The stadium can seat 30,154 fans.
The Monte do Castro quarry which overlooked the town of Braga was carved into, to build the stadium. The stone and ruggedness are clearly visible from both stands located at opposite ends.
Each of the stands is covered by a roof and these are interlinked using steel strings which serve as a stylish ceiling to the pitch below.
There is provision under the pitch to facilitate spectator movement between the stands of the stadium.
#11 Beijing National Stadium, China
The Beijing national stadium, also known as the ‘bird’s nest’, was completed in 2008 and served as the venue for the Olympics held the same year. It is also scheduled to host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games and Paralympics.
The country’s national football team plays at the stadium and it is currently used to host football games. It has a capacity of 91,000 seats, of which 11,000 are temporary.
The plan to include a retractable roof was shelved and the stadium came to be known as the ‘bird’s nest’ due to its external appearance. It gives the look of a series of steel columns which come together and intersect appropriately to give the appearance of a ‘nest’.
#10 Stadion Gospin Dolac, Croatia
The Gospin Dolac football stadium is the home ground of Croatian club NK Imotski (tier 2, Croatian league) and has provision to seat 4000 viewers.
The pitch is located towards the edge of a cliff and the surrounding ruins provide the perfectly picturesque backdrop.
Built in 1989, the football stadium has stands across three of its sides, with the fourth covered by the ruins. The aerial view from the stands combined with the open-air arena and an old world ruin forms a beautiful spectacle.
#9 Stade Omar Hamadi, Algeria
The Omar Hamadi football stadium in Algeria was built in the year 1935, prior to its independence, and served as the home ground for l’Association Sportive Saint Eugénoise. In 1962, the country became free and a new arched platform was built connecting the two existing platforms of the stadium.
The USM Alger football club uses the Hamadi football stadium as their home ground and has invested in the renovation and infrastructure upgrade of the stadium. The ground has the capacity to hold about 17,500 spectators.
Algerian club Mouloudia Club d'Alger also use the Omar Hamadi stadium as a temporary home venue for their matches.
