28 Forgotten Stadium Grounds Around The World Left Abandoned

25. Estadio Nacional de Brasília Mané Garrincha – Brasília, Brazil

Estadio Nacional de Brasília Mané Garrincha, located in Brazil's capital, is a massive stadium with a seating capacity of approximately 72,788. Originally built in 1974, the stadium underwent extensive renovations for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, with billions of dollars spent to transform it into a world-class venue. It hosted several World Cup matches, including high-profile games featuring Brazil’s national team, and was expected to become a major sports and entertainment venue for years to come. However, since the World Cup ended, the stadium has struggled to find regular use. Brasília lacks a major football team that can consistently fill the stands, and the high costs of maintenance have made it difficult to keep the stadium fully operational. Reports have surfaced of the venue being used for government parking and storage, highlighting the extent of its underutilization. Critics have pointed to Estadio Nacional as a prime example of the financial mismanagement surrounding Brazil’s World Cup preparations, as billions were spent on infrastructure that has since been neglected. Today, despite being one of the most expensive stadiums ever built in Brazil, it remains largely unused, with its grandeur slowly fading into irrelevance.