Most Expensive Cricket Stadiums: Well, the game of cricket has evolved more than any other sport in the world in the past few decades. In addition to being one of the most popular sports in the world, cricket has also established its stature as one of the most commercial ones. With numerous ultra-modern stadiums and iconic venues with state-of-the-art facilities, the sporting arena of cricket has indeed witnessed a major transformation. Have you ever wondered about the kind of enormous fortune that is generally spent on building these iconic cricket stadiums? Without much ado, let’s explore the specifics behind the top five most expensive cricket stadiums in the world.
In this article we will take a look at the top five most expensive cricket stadiums of the world.
The Adelaide Oval, Australia – $560 Million
Often hailed as the most picturesque cricket venue in the world, the Adelaide Oval located in Australia is at the top spot in our list of top five most expensive cricket stadiums in the world. The Adelaide Oval was first constructed in 1871 and was later redeveloped between 2012 and 2014 taking the entire estimated cost of the cricket ground to a whopping $560 million making it the most expensive cricket ground in the world. With a seating capacity of 53,500 spectators the Adelaide Oval features an iconic and classic heritage-listed scoreboard and is also prominently recognised among the cricket aficionados for its three grandstands- Riverbank Stand, Eastern Stand, and Western Stand.
The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Australia – $550 Million
Australia has an extremely rich history of cricket that spans over 200 years and, well, it transcends far beyond the ties of the national cricket team of Australia. Australia has always been one of the biggest commercial powerhouses of cricket and the second most expensive cricket ground in the world. The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is great evidence of that fact. The MCG was opened in 1853 at an initial cost of $150 million and later went into redevelopment in the year 2005 and cost a staggering amount of $400 million, thus making the overall cost of the stadium as high as – $550 Million, which apparently confirms its stature as the second most expensive cricket ground in the world.
Lords Cricket Ground, England – $250 Million
Having been established around 210 years ago in 1814, the Lord’s Cricket Ground, located in St. John’s Wood, London is at the third spot in our list of the top five most expensive cricket grounds in the world. Currently owned by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the Lord’s Cricket Ground, also popularly known as the “home of cricket”, went into redevelopment, which cost approximately $250 million. Although the actual estimated cost of the iconic cricket ground, which has been a mainstay for numerous tournaments since its establishment in 1814, would be much higher, there’s still no specific opening cost mentioned as it dates back to the early 19th century. Nonetheless, even if we take the redevelopment cost into consideration, the Lord’s Cricket Ground undoubtedly reserves its spot in the list of top five most expensive cricket grounds in the world.
Eden Gardens, India – $127 Million
Established in 1864, the Eden Gardens is the oldest and the second-largest cricket stadium in India. It is one of the most expensive cricket stadiums ever built. Although there are no documents that support the initial opening cost of the Eden Gardens, the redevelopment cost amounted to $127 million, making it one of the top five most expensive cricket stadiums in the world. With a seating capacity of 68,000 spectators, the Eden Gardens is the third-largest cricket stadium in the world. Often hailed as “the Mecca of Indian Cricket”, the Eden Gardens has hosted numerous prestigious international cricket tournaments, including the World Cup, World Twenty20 and Asia Cup.
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Narendra Modi Stadium, India – $100 Million
Ever wondered what the biggest cricket stadium in the world would look like? Well, it would be a replica of the current world’s largest cricket stadium in the world, Narendra Modi Stadium, located in Ahmedabad, India. With a seating capacity of 132,000 spectators, Narendra Modi Stadium was renovated and opened in 2020 on a phenomenal estimated budget of $100 million, making it the fifth most expensive cricket stadium in the world. Named after the honorable prime minister of India, Narendra Damodardas Modi, the stadium has hosted numerous high-stakes international cricket tournaments and matches, including the 2023 World Cup Final. It is one of the most expensive cricket stadiums ever built.
