Soccer (Football)
From Thailand to the Arctic Circle, these soccer fields put the beauty in the beautiful game.
Soccer is not just played in concrete coliseums and state-of-the-art super stadiums. Take a trip to some of these inspiring and idyllic arenas and you might find yourself contemplating life, as well as tactics. These places prove that the beautiful game can be good for the heart and the soul.
Ottmar Hitzfeld Stadium, Switzerland
Home to: FC Gspon
The hills are alive, with the sound of crunching tackles. Welcome to the home of Swiss village side, FC Gspon, who have a soccer stadium with a view. Named after former Swiss national team boss Ottmar Hitzfeld, this alpine arena sits some 656 feet above sea level — making it the highest pitch in Europe. Up here, the air is so thin that the grass doesn’t grow, so the deck is carpeted with artificial turf. The pitch is so remote that fans have to make the trip to the turnstiles by cable car.
Adidas Futsal Park, Japan
Home to: Tokyo's best futsal sides
How’s your aim? If it’s any less than 100 percent, think twice before taking the elevator to play ball on the tenth floor of this spectacular Tokyo high-rise. After all, if you send a shot flying over the bar, you might just find yourself substituted off the field and sent on a mission across the city to retrieve your ball. Standing proud above one of the busiest cities on Earth, this stadium is the perfect place to while away the hours watching the beautiful game — that’s if you can take your eyes off the incredible 270-degree view.
Eidi Stadium, Faroe Islands
Home to: Faroe Islands national team
Flanked on two sides by the Atlantic Ocean, the Faroe Islands national stadium couldn’t be any less welcoming to visitors, but it is beautiful in the most rugged of ways. It’s bleak, isolated, freezing cold, windy — you name it. And if you shank your shot you’ll be swapping your boots for a wetsuit to fetch the ball. With no stands to speak of, there isn’t a lot of room for spectators, but with only 600-odd residents living in this place, that’s rarely going to be an issue.
La Paz, Bolivia
Home to: Local soccer players
Mind the windows if you go backyard balling in Bolivia’s capital. Surrounded by houses, this South American suburban stadium sits smack in the middle of La Paz’s 800,000 residents — so you might have to wait a little while for some turf time. And be prepared to ask the neighbors for your ball back — several hundred times per day.
Koh Panyee Floating Stadium, Thailand
Home to: Panyee FC
Do you suffer from seasickness? If the answer is yes, then you might want to give this aqua amphitheatre a pass. The field, which is floating in Koh Panyee, Thailand, has been a revelation with locals, who for years had nowhere to play the beautiful game. The first version of this ground was put together with scraps of wood and nails sticking out from the surface. Now they have a new pitch on which to hone their skills. How do they stop the ball constantly going into the water? Eagle eye accuracy and faultless footwork — that’s why Panyee FC has become one of the most successful youth teams in Thailand.
Nuuk Stadium, Greenland
Home to: Greenland national team
The town of Tasiilaq, Greenland may look pretty and quaint, but its chocolate-box scenery hides a dark secret. Literally dark — during winter, the days here last just three hours. Temperatures can plummet to a toe-numbing negative twelve degrees celcius during the big freeze, when the town is attacked by an ice cold wind which originates on the icecap and sweeps down the east coast, reaching speeds of up to 186 mph. Sounds lovely. Don’t forget your base layer.
Bluetongue Stadium, Australia
Home to: Central Coast Mariners FC
When your field sits just yards from the ocean, it’s a shame to block the view. At least that’s what the genius who designed this stadium thought — and the result is a unique three-sided spectacle, which ensures that every fan gets a sea vista. With picturesque palm trees and epic sunsets, there’s plenty to distract you from the on-field action. And that’s good news for Mariners fans, as their team finished rock bottom of the A-League this season.