Features

2023 in review – February

Featured image credit: AFC

Saudi Arabia signalled its growing ambitions in the event hosting space by landing two major football tournaments in the form of the 2027 Asian Cup and the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup.

The Saudi bid plan foresees the Asian Cup taking place in eight main stadia across the cities of Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. A new stadium in each of the three cities will be part of the plan. It emerged in October that the Kingdom is also in the box seat for the 2034 FIFA World Cup.

The Australian and Queensland Governments unveiled a A$7bn (£3.71bn/€4.3bn/$4.69bn) funding agreement to overhaul the state’s sporting infrastructure ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Brisbane, focusing on redevelopment of The Gabba and construction of the new Brisbane Live arena.

River Plate’s Mâs Monumental officially became South America’s biggest stadium after the expanded venue was opened in full to more than 83,000 fans for a game against Argentinos Juniors.

In the UK, English League Two football club Forest Green Rovers commenced work on its all-wooden stadium, while Tottenham Hotspur entered into a 15-year strategic partnership with Formula 1 that will result in the delivery of the world’s first in-stadium electric karting facility at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.