Former Olympic Stadiums: Blessing or Curse?

We often hear Olympic committees talk about ‘legacy’ and how a venue will be used after the competitors and spectators have gone home.

For football clubs, the attraction is clear: a prestigious venue with large capacity, well-connected transport links, top-quality facilities. The flip-side for the fan is the dreaded athletics track and – unless you have a particularly active stand, like the curve at Rome’s two main clubs, Roma and Lazio, then you can get left with a ‘flatmosphere’.

I asked my Twitter community what they thought of stadiums with a running track and the result was pretty damning:

In this post, I look at the good, bad and ugly of former Olympic stadiums – those that hosted the main track and field events – i.e. not the Maracanã, which hosted the opening and closing ceremonies at Rio 2016. The 2016 Olympic athletic venue Estádio Nilton Santos is now home to Botafogo.

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Scene of the 1960 Olympiad, the Stadio Olimpico was originally completed in 1937 as the Stadio dei Cipressi (Stadium of the Cypresses). It was part of the huge Foro Mussolini sports complex. You can still see the architectural legacy of Il Duce around the complex, including the impressive Stadio dei Marmi (Marble Stadium) next to the Stadio Olimpico, which features various art deco statues of Olympic sports.

At the 1960 games, the stadium was roofless. A roof was added only in time for the 1990 World Cup, where it hosted Italy’s games up until the semi-final (famously hosted in Naples) and the truly dire final itself.

It continues to be the national stadium for both football and rugby, and home to Roma and Lazio. AS Roma is planning to move out, however, as soon as the 52,000-seat Stadio della Roma is completed.

Personally, I like the Stadio Olimpico, I’ve been three times and you certainly get a sense of occasion. It’s also just about walkable from the city centre, but neither club gets anywhere near to filling the 72,000 seats…unless they’re playing each other, of course.

Olympiastadion, Berlin

The Olympiastadion has a dark history. As host of the 1936 Olympics, it was an integral part of Adolf Hitler’s propaganda machine…until Jesse Owens upstaged him.

It’s also where Zinedine Zidane headbutted Marco ‘Matrix’ Matarazzi in the 2006 World Cup final. It’s a striking architectural venue which has been home to Hertha Berlin since the launch of the Bundesliga in 1963.

It’s fascinating as it’s almost a horse-shoe shape with an open end for the Olympic flame.

Does it work? I’ve enjoyed my two visits. Sat on the side stands you get an impressive all-round view and a sense of being in a truly historic venue. I’d love to see it full, though.

Olympiastadion, Munich

(West) Germany also hosted the Olympics in 1972. The tournament was marred by the murder of 11 Israeli athletes and staff, plus a local police officer by Palestinian terrorists.

The stadium – and the Olympic Park itself – are, like the Olympiastadion in Berlin, time capsules of the architecture of the time. The Olympiastadion is both timeless and charmingly dated at the same time.

The web-like structure hosted the 1974 World Cup final, the 1988 European Championships final (yes, that Marco van Basten goal…), and three European Cup finals. It was home to both Bayern Munich and TSV 1860 Munich until the two moved to the new Allianz Arena in 2005.

Stade de Colombes, Paris

The host stadium for the 1924 Olympics in Paris, now known as the Stade Yves du Manoir, could be in for a return for the centenary games of Paris in 2024. It is where the great Uruguay team burst onto the world stage winning Olympic football gold, and where Vittorio Pozzo led his Italy side to its second World Cup triumph in 1938.

It was the setting – if not the location of – the stadiums in Chariots of Fire and Escape to Victory. It was also host to the French national side and French cup finals.

London Stadium, London

This is a great athletics stadium, but as a football ground for me – and many others – it just doesn’t work. When West Ham United left the popular, tight-knit Boleyn Ground, the club always was always going to struggle to replicate the atmosphere at the London Stadium, even when it’s filled.

The Stadio Olimpico demonstrates that to create an atmosphere you need at least one curva (end) full of colourful, noisy fans.

Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow

The former Central Lenin Stadium was built in the 1950s and hosted the 1980 Olympics, which was famously boycotted by the USA.

It hosted that famous 2008 Champions League final between Manchester United and Chelsea before being completely revamped for the 2018 World Cup.

It’s been home to Moscow clubs Torpedo, CSKA and Spartak and remains the Russian national stadium with a capacity of 81,000.

Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, Barcelona

Although Espanyol now has a new, purpose-built stadium, Barcelona’s ‘second club’ was an occupant of the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys from 1997-2009. I went in the early 2000s and it was fairly surreal watching football in a half-full stadium.

The Olympic complex is wonderful, so well worth checking out if you’re in the city.

Helsinki Olympic Stadium, Helsinki

Helsinki’s art deco stadium was designed in the 1930s for the 1940 Olympics that never came due to World War II. The city final hosted the games in 1952 and it’s been refurbished since as home of the national football team.

Stunning design though.

Amsterdam Olympic Stadium

Built for the 1928 Olympics when, again, Uruguay reasserted its dominance on world football, this stadium was home to Ajax Amsterdam for nearly 80 years. Benfica won the 1962 European Cup final here and Hamburger SV won the 1977 European Cup-Winners’ Cup here.

It now hosts a museum and the occasional athletics meet, like the 2016 European Athletics Championships.

Olympic Stadium, Athens

The 2004 host stadium was already an active football arena two decades before 2004. Completed in 1982, it was host to that memorable 1994 European Cup final when AC Milan battered FC Barcelona 4-0.

It is now home to the Greek national side, along with fierce rivals AEK Athens and Panathinaikos.

Estadio Olímpico Universitario, Mexico City

The 1968 host stadium with its Diego Rivera reliefs was also used for four matches in the early stages of the 1986 World Cup, including two games for eventual champions, Argentina, and was the scene of the second-round elimination of holders Italy to France.

Stadio Olimpico, Turin

The Olympics held here were the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics, but it was originally constructed during the 1930s under Mussolini and used for athletics meetings and the 1934 World Cup.

It was known as the Stadio Comunale for most of its existence and was shared between Torino FC and Juventus until the latter moved out in 1990 to the doomed Stadio delle Alpi. The athletics track has been covered by astroturf, so as a spectator you are still some way from the pitch. It’s quite a low stadium, though, so I didn’t feel too far from the pitch when I went to see Torino v Samp in 2019.

Notable mentions

FCO Beerschot Wilrijk’s home, the Olympisch Stadion, was host to the 1920 Olympics, while 1912 host venue the Stockholms Olympiastadion is home to Djurgårdens IF women’s team.

White City Stadium in West London was the host to the 1908 games and was home in two spells for Queens Park Rangers (1931-33 and 1962-63). It was also host to one match at the 1966 World Cup between Uruguay and France when Wembley refused to change a scheduled greyhound meeting.

Wembley Stadium was host to the 1948 Olympic Games. It has, of course, been knocked down and rebuilt since, and is still host to England internationals and key tournament finals.

In Australia, the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) was host to the 1956 Olympics, including the football final between the USSR and Yugoslavia. It is used mainly for cricket and Australian Rules Football, depending on the season, but has hosted soccer matches sporadically, especially since the turn of the century.

Over in Sydney, host to the 2000 Olympics, the stadium has been adjusted and now hosts rugby code matches, Australian Rules, and even the occasional soccer exhibition match. The ‘Birds’ Nest’ in Beijing (2008) has also hosted the odd football match, including three Supercoppa Italiana games, the traditional Serie A season-opener.

For 2020, Toyko has demolished the former National Stadium (1964 host venue), which had hosted the Intercontinental Cup from 1981-2001, as well as 2002 World Cup matches. The New National Stadium’s first sporting event was a Japanese football match – the Emperor’s Cup final – won by Vissel Kobe.

The Seoul Olympic Stadium (1988) is host to Seoul E-Land FC whereas US stadiums in Atlanta (1996), Los Angeles (1932 and 1984), and St. Louis (1904) are mostly used for domestic sports.