Most Expensive Sports Stadiums To Ever Be Built
The world of professional sports is in a seemingly never-ending arms race to build venues that continually outdo the last in terms of size, opulence, and — most critically — cost. The utilitarian, multi-purpose stadiums of the past have almost nothing in common with these modern-day sporting palaces.
While it may seem like nothing can top these stadiums in terms of luxury or cost, if current trends continue, they'll seem downright quaint when compared to stadiums of the future. As a note, these figures are adjusted for inflation.
Truist Park: $710 million
The current home of the Atlanta Braves isn't located in Atlanta proper, but actually ten miles to the northwest of the city center. It opened its doors in 2017, replacing an earlier venue — Turner Field — that was only a little over 20 years old at the time.
The construction of Truist Park was controversial, as it replaced a venue that was in decent shape, and moved the Braves out of downtown Atlanta. Regardless, Truist Park now anchors a new commercial district in Cobb County.
LoanDepot Park: $730 million
After playing in a cavernous football-first multipurpose stadium for the first two decades of their existence, the Miami Marlins finally got a stadium of their own when LoanDepot Park — called Marlins Park at the time — opened up in 2012.
The stadium, built on the site of Miami's iconic Orange Bowl, has yielded mixed results thus far. While it's an attractive venue, it's mostly failed to draw big crowds or revitalize the surrounding neighborhood.
NRG Stadium: $900 million
When NRG Stadium was completed in 2002, it positively dwarfed its neighbor — Houston's cavernous Astrodome. NRG Stadium features a retractable roof and can accommodate a wide range of events, from football to soccer to rodeos.
The stadium is more than 20 years old at this point and has received a few refurbishments over the years to keep it in line with current standards. It's hosted two Super Bowls and will also serve as a venue for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Emirates Stadium: $900 million
Emirates Stadium was one of the earliest mega stadiums built for soccer teams in England's Premier League, opening up in 2006. The massive complex replaced the humble Highbury as Arsenal's home and looked completely futuristic compared to its predecessor.
The four-tiered seating bowl is entirely covered by a translucent polycarbonate roof, which shades the seats while leaving the playing field uncovered. At a capacity of more than 60,000, it's one of the largest venues in England.
Citi Field: $900 million
New York City paid a substantial price to house its two Major League Baseball teams, opening up Citi Field for the Mets in 2009, the same year that the new Yankee Stadium opened its doors in the Bronx.
Citi Field, located in Queens, was built next to its predecessor, Shea Stadium. Its classical style is partially modelled after Brooklyn's beloved Ebbets Field, but it's been criticized by some Mets fans for not doing enough to honor the team's history.
Paycor Stadium: $940 million
The stadium, once known as Paul Brown Stadium (in honor of the Cincinnati Bengals founder), was built on the banks of the Ohio River in 2000. While the stadium has served the Bengals' needs, its high price tag made it the source of controversy.
At the time it was built, the bill paid by taxpayers was $555 million — the largest public subsidy ever paid for an NFL stadium at the time. The Wall Street Journal described the deal as "unusually lopsided in favor of the team and risky for taxpayers."
Lincoln Financial Field: $940 million
Known affectionately as the 'Linc,' the Philadelphia Eagles have called Lincoln Financial Field their home since 2003. That year saw them move out of the cavernous confines of Veterans Stadium.
The Linc is also Philadelphia's largest venue, which comes in handy for major international soccer matches, as well as big concerts. It frequently hosts the annual Army-Navy college football game and will also serve as a host venue for matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Ford Field: $950 million
The Detroit Lions played in the suburbs for more than two decades at the Pontiac Silverdome and eventually moved downtown after Ford Field was constructed for the 2002 NFL season. The domed stadium's unique design incorporates a 1920s-era warehouse that previously existed on the site.
The Lions haven't had much more success at Ford Field than they did at the Silverdome, but at least the newer venue has found multiple uses, ranging from concerts to ice hockey.
Lucas Oil Stadium: $960 million
Lucas Oil Stadium dominates the Indianapolis skyline, with the massive red brick exterior paying tribute to Indiana's many basketball fieldhouses. While Lucas Oil Stadium can host basketball, its primary tenant is the NFL's Indianapolis Colts.
The stadium's unique design extends into the interior as well, with a huge set of windows offering a scenic view of the city. When they weather is nice, the windows — as well as the roof — can open up.
Globe Life Field: $1.1 billion
The Texas Rangers moved into a brand new, state-of-the-art facility in 1994. Just 25 years later, they said goodbye to these digs and moved into a brand new, state-of-the-art facility located just a stone's throw away.
The new facility, Globe Life Field, carries the distinct advantage of a retractable roof and air conditioning. While it's more comfortable on the inside, its utilitarian outside cladding has been criticized for looking like a silo.
London Stadium: $1.12 billion
London Stadium is a true jack of all trades — though some may argue that it's a master of none. It was opened as the main stadium for the 2012 Olympic Games and was later transformed into a Premier League ground to host West Ham United.
In addition to track and field and soccer, the stadium also holds the ultra-rare distinction of being the only English stadium to host regular season Major League Baseball games.
Nationals Park: $1 billion
When the Montreal Expos moved to Washington in 2005, it marked the return of Major League Baseball to the nation's capital after more than 30 years without a team. They played at RFK Stadium at first, but immediately made plans to construct a new, baseball-only facility.
That facility was Nationals Park, which hosted its first game in 2008. It made history as the first LEED-certified (green energy) major stadium in the United States.
Nissan Stadium: $1.1 billion
Not to be confused with the Nissan Stadium located in Nashville, this Nissan Stadium opened its doors in Yokohama, Japan, back in 1998. This massive, 70,000-plus-seat stadium hosted the 2002 FIFA World Cup final, along with events like the 2019 Rugby World Cup and 2020 Summer Olympics.
Owing to its high capacity and running track, which places spectators farther from the field, it doesn't currently have a full-time tenant, but it's frequently used as a venue for large concerts.
U.S. Bank Stadium: $1.1 billion
The NFL's Minnesota Vikings have played indoors ever since moving from Metropolitan Stadium to the Metrodome in the early '80s. This trend continued with the construction of the U.S. Bank Stadium in 2016.
This stunning stadium has some of the largest glass panels ever seen on a building, letting in ample natural light even without having a retractable roof. While it's a football-first stadium, the stands on one sideline are retractable, allowing it to serve as a baseball stadium.
Krestovsky Stadium: $1.1 billion
This stadium in Saint Petersburg, Russia, has gone by several names, including Gazprom Arena and Saint Petersburg Stadium. It was one of many soccer stadiums to be either renovated or built from the ground up in preparation for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
The stadium has also hosted other big soccer fixtures, including the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup and UEFA Euro 2020. With a capacity in excess of 60,000, it's one of the biggest stadiums in Russia.
Olympic Stadium: $1.1 billion
Montreal's Olympic Stadium is by far the oldest stadium on this list, as it was built for the 1976 Summer Olympics. Its innovative design included an inclined tower on the outside that was intended to lift up a retractable roof.
Unfortunately, the retractable roof never worked properly, causing the stadium to be an exclusively outdoor or indoor venue throughout its history. Poor construction has necessitated many repairs, and its total cost continues to balloon more than four decades after it first opened.
Barclays Center: $1.1 billion
For many years, the only large-scale enclosed venue in New York City was Madison Square Garden. Brooklyn's Barclays Center changed that when it opened in 2012 to serve as the home of the NBA's Brooklyn Nets (who'd moved from New Jersey).
Barclays Center is relatively intimate by NBA standards, at around 17,000 seats. The swanky building has a distinctive outer plaza and rustic cladding on the outside. While it's primarily a basketball and concert venue, it can also (awkwardly) accommodate hockey.
Optus Stadium: $1.2 billion
Optus Stadium, or Perth Stadium, is a large multi-purpose stadium in the suburbs of Perth, Australia. It was built to accommodate virtually any outdoor sport popular in Australia, including local favorites like Australian rules football and cricket.
The venue seats a little over 61,000 fans, though this can be expanded to 65,000 for events with a smaller playing surface, like soccer. This makes it the third-biggest stadium in Australia.
Levi's Stadium: $1.3 billion
The San Francisco 49ers of the NFL left their former home, the beloved but flawed Candlestick Park, to move into Levi's Stadium in 2014. The stadium, which is in Santa Clara, is about 40 miles south of San Francisco proper.
Levi's Stadium has all of the amenities that one would expect of a modern NFL stadium, but it's encountered sharp criticism for not just its expensive price tag but also its design, which leaves tens of thousands of spectators looking into the Sun.
Singapore National Stadium: $1.87 billion
This unique venue in Kallang, Singapore, is one of the largest domed structures in the world. It's also one of the most versatile, as it features a retractable roof and the ability to accommodate soccer, track and field, rugby, and cricket.
At a capacity of more than 50,000, it's too big for any regular tenant but serves admirably as a venue for any large event in Singapore, from international soccer matches to big religious gatherings.
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium: $1.33 billion
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was built to host Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, as would be expected. But this 62,000-seat stadium was also the first to be built in England with American football in mind.
The innovative stadium replaced Wembley Stadium as the home for NFL games in London. It features a grass field for soccer that can be retracted to the outside of the stadium. This reveals an artificial turf surface for American football, which is situated a few feet lower to work well with the sport's sightlines.
Estádio Nacional: $900 million
Brazil's Estádio Nacional de Brasília Mané Garrincha is the lengthy original name for what's now known as Arena BRB Mané Garrincha for sponsorship reasons. It originally opened in 1974 but was almost entirely rebuilt for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
The stadium is undoubtedly a crown jewel for Brazil's national sport, but it came at a cost. While it was originally slated to cost somewhere around $300 million to construct, costs ballooned to reach nearly a billion dollars.
AT&T Stadium: $1.48 billion
The first of the NFL's ultra-modern, ultra-expensive stadiums, AT&T Stadium — better known as JerryWorld in honor of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones — hosted its first games in 2009.
This sleek stadium features a retractable roof, a massive center-hung video display, and the ability to host a wide range of events with different seating configurations. While it seats over 80,000 for football, it can accommodate more than 100,000 for events like basketball.
Yankee Stadium: $1.5 billion
The original Yankee Stadium opened in 1923 and received a major renovation in the 1970s. By the dawn of the new millennium, it was clear that the beloved venue was on its last legs.
In 2009, the new stadium — also called Yankee Stadium — was completed in the Bronx to go along with the Mets' new digs in Queens. The new Yankee Stadium resembles the old ballpark, just with better amenities.
Wembley Stadium: $1.5 billion
Like Yankee Stadium, Wembley Stadium is a newer venue that carries the same name as its legendary predecessor. Built on the footprint of the original Wembley Stadium, the new Wembley was constructed between 2003 and 2007.
The stadium has hosted NFL games, rugby, and boxing — but it's best known as the 'Home of Football' in England, as it hosts virtually every important neutral-site game in the country. It also served as the temporary home of Tottenham Hotspur while their new stadium was under construction.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium: $1.5 billion
Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium is one of the most eye-catching stadiums in pro sports, with jagged metal panels intersecting with glass on the outside. Meanwhile, the inside features a unique retractable roof with a massive 360-degree video board.
This fancy stadium came with a steep cost, in excess of $1.5 billion. In addition to the NFL's Atlanta Falcons, it also hosts games for Atlanta United FC of Major League Soccer, as well as games at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
UBS Arena: $1.5 billion
UBS Arena fills the void left by Nassau Veterans Memorial Arena, a utilitarian '70s arena located on Long Island. UBS Arena is located in the same general area, near the iconic horse racing venue of Belmont Park.
The arena project took a long time to get off the ground. Construction finally began in 2019 after more than 15 years of discussion, and the pandemic delayed the opening of the building. Nonetheless, it began hosting the NHL's New York Islanders in November 2021.
MetLife Stadium: $1.7 billion
East Rutherford, New Jersey, is just across the river from Manhattan, and its Meadowlands Sports Complex has played host to the NFL's New York Giants and New York Jets for decades.
The former football stadium at the site, Giants Stadium, was beginning to show its age by the early 2000s, and plans were put in place to build a new stadium at the same site. MetLife Stadium opened up in 2010, and at the time was the most expensive stadium ever built in the United States.
Allegiant Stadium: $1.9 billion
The construction boom in Las Vegas seemingly never stops, and one of its crown jewels in recent years is Allegiant Stadium (which is actually located just southwest of Vegas, in Paradise, Nevada).
Allegiant Stadium was built to lure the NFL's Oakland Raiders to town, but it also hosts all manner of big events. Of its nearly $2 billion price tag, around $750 million was paid for by the taxpayers of Nevada.
SoFi Stadium: $5.5 billion
L.A.'s SoFi Stadium is possibly the most distinctive stadium in the world, with a freestanding stadium structure entirely covered by, but not attached to, a massive fixed roof. It serves as home to two NFL teams, the Rams and the Chargers, who were lured from St. Louis and San Diego respectively.
SoFi Stadium is part of a larger development that will also include the Intuit Dome, home to the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers. It's located not far from the Forum, which was home to the NBA's Lakers and NHL's Kings for many years.