Football is a sport that can produce true spectacles.
Last-minute winners, fiery derbies, miraculous comebacks, the world of football has laid witness to them all.
But often, the arenas that host the beautiful game are just as awe-striking as the action on the pitch.
Examples include the futuristic dome that is the Allianz Arena, a modern marvel in the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and nothing beats the intimidating cauldron at the Camp Nou. To rival, these gorgeous venues comes a bonafide architectural wonder, situated in Felcsut, Hungary.
And while it doesn’t hold a candle to the aforementioned ones in regards to capacity, it can certainly hold its own as far as beauty is covered.
The venue in question is the Pancho Arena, named after the legendary Ferenc Puskas, and ‘Pancho’ comes from the nickname he was assigned at Real Madrid. Designed by reputed Hungarian architect, Imre Makovetz, the 130,000 sq ft arena has been described as a ‘luxury stadium’.
And with every crevice of the majestic venue oozing opulence, there’s plenty to back up that claim.
Made primarily out of slate and timber, the venue features a slate roof which took 7 months to make. The columns are modelled after tree branches, they spring to life near the roof and provide plenty of luminance.
Additionally, the stadium also includes stained window panels, replicating the aura and aesthetic of a church. It does fall short in terms of capacity though, as the stadium can host only 3,816 spectators. The stadium is the home of Puskas Akademia FC, a team in the top flight of Hungarian football.
Needless to say, the Puskas Arena is perhaps the most unique football stadium in the world. And the side who get the chance to play there regularly, have got to consider themselves lucky.
