A WORLD CUP stadium which cost £217million to build is now lying almost abandoned.
The Arena de Amazonia in Manaus, Brazil, took four years to build before the South American nation hosted the 2014 World Cup.
It was one of 12 venues that was constructed for the international football tournament.
During the build of the 40,000 seater ground, three people died.
The arena was used for just four matches during the World Cup, although it did also host games during the 2016 Olympics.
It was the ground where England suffered the 2-1 defeat to Italy.
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The other games that featured there were the group fixtures between Cameroon and Croatia, USA and Portugal as well as Honduras and Switzerland.
Now the stadium is mostly unused with local matches only bringing in crowds of less than 1,000 people.
Manaus is the 7th most populated city in Brazil with just over two million people.
During the World Cup in 2014, the Arena de Amazonia was the most difficult to get to for visiting fans as it is in the middle of the Amazon rainforest.
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Pictures show the stadium is now in a sorry condition compared to when it was prepared for the World Cup, which was won by Germany.
Most parts of the roof have been removed and many of the seats have faded in colours under the sunlight.
In 2016, the New York Times described the stadium as “a White Elephant, a Big One”.
In the report, it features people who argue that the £217m that was spent on its construction would have been better spent on schools and hospitals.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
