Vietnam’s $185B Stadium: World’s Largest Project Begins

Vietnam began a monumental project to build a stadium, designed to be the largest in the world.

With a pharaonic budget of 925 trillion dongs (approximately R$185 billion) and delivery scheduled for August 2028, Trong Dong will have capacity for 135 thousand spectators, surpassing the current record holder, the Rungrado 1º de Maio Stadium (North Korea, 114 thousand seats), and the future Hassan II Stadium (Morocco, 115 thousand seats).

To give you an idea, the stadium would be 1.7 times larger than Maracanã, currently the largest stadium in Brazil*.

*Check out the list of the biggest stadiums in Brazil and Europe below.

Top 10 biggest stadiums in Brazil 🇧🇷

Based on official capacity recognized by the CBF (CNEF); numbers may vary according to the criteria used

. Maracanã (Rio de Janeiro): With an official capacity of 78,838 spectators, the Jornalista Mário Filho Stadium remains the largest in the country. Stage of two World Cup finals, “Maraca” is the heart of Rio football and frequently hosts the Conmebol continental finals.

. Mané Garrincha (Brasília): The giant in the federal capital has capacity for 72,788 people. Although it does not have a mass local club in the first division, the stadium is a fundamental multipurpose arena for major international shows and games for clubs in the Rio-SP axis that sell control of the field.

. Morumbis (São Paulo): The home of São Paulo FC has an official capacity for football matches of 66,795 fans. It is important to note that, in configurations for large musical concerts, this capacity easily exceeds 80 thousand seats, making it the largest private stage in Brazil.

. Castelão Arena (Fortaleza): With 63,903 seats, the Governador Plácido Castelo Stadium is the largest in the Northeast in full operation. Unlike other 2014 World Cup arenas, Castelão maintains high attendance averages thanks to the strength of the fans in Ceará and Fortaleza.

. Mineirão (Belo Horizonte): The “Gigante da Pampulha” has a current capacity of 61,846 spectators. The stadium underwent a technical reduction during modernization for the 2014 World Cup (previously it could accommodate more than 100,000), but gained in comfort and corporate infrastructure.

. Arruda (Recife): The Santa Cruz Stadium has a physical structure for 60,044 people. However, precision requires a caveat: the Fire Department often restricts the maximum ticket load (generally to around 40 to 50 thousand) for reasons of safety and maintenance of specific sectors of the grandstand.

. Grêmio Arena (Porto Alegre): The modern home of Tricolor Gaúcho has an official operating capacity of 55,662 seats. Although the architectural design allows for a slightly higher occupancy (up to 60,540), the current security configuration sets the operational limit at around 55,000.

. Mangueirão (Belém): After the major renovation carried out in 2023, the Estádio Olímpico do Pará definitely entered the top 10, with a capacity for 53,645 fans. The modernization brought the stadium to FIFA standards, maintaining the “cauldron” atmosphere characteristic of Pará football.

. Sabiá Park (Uberlândia): The Parque do Sabiá Municipal Stadium is the largest in the interior of Brazil, with a capacity for 53,350 people. Despite being little used in national elite games today, its structure remains imposing and preserved.

. Beira-Rio (Porto Alegre): Internacional’s stadium closes the list of the ten largest with 50,942 seats. The renovation for the 2014 World Cup modernized the entire complex, which surpasses the Neo Química Arena (SP) and the Fonte Nova Arena (BA) by a small margin.

🇪🇺 Top 10 Biggest Stadiums in Europe

Considering only football stadiums (excluding exclusive Rugby and football arenas) Gaelic Athletic Association); numbers may vary according to the criteria used

. Camp Nou (Barcelona): The “Spotify Camp Nou” project envisages around 105,000 seats. In February 2026, precision requires noting that the stadium is in the final stages of construction; although the physical structure is the largest on the continent, the capacity released may be partial during the completion of the work, but the final design places it isolated at the top.

. Wembley (Londres): With 90,000 seats, it is the largest fully operational and covered stadium in Europe. It is the home of the English national team and the sacred venue for the FA Cup finals, and does not belong to any specific club.

. Santiago Bernabéu (Madri): After the pharaonic renovation recently completed, Real Madrid’s home has reached a capacity of 83,186 spectators. The stadium now has a retractable roof and a hypogeum (underground) pitch system, making it one of the most technological arenas in the world.

. Signal Iduna Park (Dortmund): Borussia Dortmund’s stadium holds 81,365 fans for Bundesliga games, thanks to the famous “Yellow Wall” (standing section). For UEFA international matches (where everyone must be seated), capacity drops dramatically to around 66,000.

. Stade de France (Paris): Located in Saint-Denis, it has a capacity for 81,338 people. It is the national stadium of France, the venue for the 1998 World Cup final and the main venue for the 2024 Olympic Games.

. Luzhniki (Moscow): With 81,000 seats, it was the venue for the 2018 World Cup final. Although Russia has been politically isolated from European football (UEFA) in recent times, geographically the stadium is one of the largest on the continent.

. Ataturk (Istambul): Atatürk Olympic Stadium holds 77,563 spectators. It is the largest arena in Türkiye and recently gained prominence by hosting the 2023 Champions League final between Manchester City and Inter Milan.

. San Siro / Giuseppe Meazza (Milan): The iconic stadium shared by Milan and Inter has 75,817 seats. Capacity was once over 80,000, but security adaptations and fan separation zones have reduced the official number in recent years.

. Allianz Arena (Munich): Bayern Munich’s home stadium has a capacity for 75,024 spectators for national matches. As in Dortmund, capacity is reduced for international competitions (approximately 70,000) due to the conversion of standing areas to seating.

. Old Trafford (Manchester): Manchester United’s “Theatre of Dreams” rounds out the top 10 with 74,310 seats. It is the largest private club stadium in England, although there are ongoing plans and discussions regarding its renovation or reconstruction.

Featured photo: Trong Dong Stadium official website