While soccer leagues are on pause around the world due to COVID-19 restrictions, China is pushing ahead with building one of the most consequential new stadiums in the sport.
On April 16, a ground-breaking ceremony was held in the Chinese city of Guangzhou for a $1.7 billion soccer stadium in the shape of a lotus flower that is poised to become the world’s largest soccer-specific stadium, ESPN reported. With a seating capacity of 100,000, that means it would top the historic Camp Nou stadium in Spain, home to FC Barcelona.
The home team of the blossom colosseum will be Guangzhou Evergrande, named for the Evergrande real estate group.
“Evergrande Stadium will become a new world-class landmark comparable to the Sydney Opera House and Burj Khalifa in Dubai, and an important symbol of Chinese football to the world,” said Xia Haijun, president of Evergrande, according to ESPN.
Construction is expected to finish by December 2022 and Evergrande hopes the stadium will play host to the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, whose trophy, as it turns out, is also made in the shape of a lotus.
Beyond continental ambitions, China also hopes this monumental endeavor will increase the country’s standing in the soccer world at large — but first they’ll have to get back to actually playing.
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