Well-Designed World Cup Stadiums

Good architecture makes the beautiful game look even better.

Getting worked up over the results of a World Cup match is second nature for the football faithful, but that angst isn’t usually directed towards the pitch. But that was the fan response after Italy beat England Saturday at Arena de Amazonia in the rainforest city of Manaus, a stadium shaping up to be a massive folly after it was revealed that groundskeepers had to paint part of the field green. Stadium construction has been a fitting flashpoint in Brazil due to delays and cost overruns, but it obscures the effect that incredible construction, such as Arena Das Dunas, can have on elevating the game. Dwell collected some of the most innovative and architecturally sound sites that have played host to the world’s biggest sporting event, many of which have become permanent fixtures in the urban landscape.