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Two new stadiums by Zaha Hadid Architects nominated for Stadium of the Year 2026

The stadiums of the Xi’an International Football Centre and the Greater Bay Sports Centre have been nominated ‘Stadium of the Year 2026’. Organised by StadiumDB, ‘Stadium of the Year' is the world’s largest international award programme recognising the architectural innovation, design quality, and spectator experience of the best new stadiums across the globe.

The Xi’an International Football Centre’s 60,000-seat stadium & training grounds are integral to the ongoing development of football in China. Initiated by the Chinese Football Association & national sports development organisations, the centre provides facilities of the highest standards to nurture the sport across all levels—from international competition to grassroots community leagues and youth training academies.

The design’s open façades invite the city into the heart of the building to enjoy its public spaces, recreation and dining on shaded south-facing terraces with views over the Xi’an. These amenities also serve spectators during football matches and cultural events.

The stadium’s geometries minimize the impacts of prevailing winds from the north that chill the Xi’an each winter and shelter the saddle-shaped structure that maximizes availability of spectator seating at midfield. An ultra-lightweight cable-net roof structure generates minimal loads to significantly reduce embodied carbon within the stadium by minimizing materials required for its primary structure. Wide perimeter roof overhangs shelter facilities within the building’s envelope while shaded open-air terraces provide comfortable conditions in the hot summers of Xi’an’s continental climate.

The 60,000-seat Greater Bay Stadium in Guangzhou’s new Nansha District is the centrepiece of the Greater Bay Area Sports Centre and its 70-hectare waterfront park. Within Guangdong’s subtropical monsoon climate, the stadium’s surrounding parkland is integral to the district’s flood protection measures managing excess water during the summer typhoon season and extreme sea-level fluctuations.

The Greater Bay Stadium’s architecture echoes the tapering geometries evident in the hulls of the region’s traditional sailing ships that were initially designed in the Song Dynasty approximately 1,000 years ago. These historic vessels established the Pearl River as China’s gateway to the world.

Vertical louvres within the façade define the curvatures of the Greater Bay Stadium’s façade and encourage natural cooling by the prevailing summer winds that blow inland from the South China Sea. A grand arch in the stadium’s design directs cooler sea air into the stadium’s seating bowl to enhance the comfort of athletes and spectators while also giving spectacular river views during events.


Xi'an International Football Stadium

Greater Bay Area Sports Centre