One of world's biggest stadiums larger than Old Trafford and Anfield is demolished - The Mirror

A stadium in Malaysia larger than the likes of Manchester United's Old Trafford and Liverpool's Anfield was destroyed after falling into disrepair

The colossal Shah Alam Stadium that supersedes Old Trafford and Anfield was demolished after 30 years of usage.

The enormous ground - which is situated in Selangor, Malaysia - had been an iconic arena since opening in 1994 with its 80,372 capacity surpassing many of Europe's legendary football stadiums.

However, despite numerous attempts to renovate the ground throughout the years, it soon fell into a state of despair due to long-term neglect in the stadium's maintenance.

The poor state of it meant the Selangor government were driven to order the destruction of the ground, which began on Wednesday (September 25) after it was judged to have structurally unsafe for stadium-goers back in 2020.

The blowing up of the ground was captured on camera as the roof collapsed onto the seats before making its way onto the pitch.

While the stadium was the home of Selangor football club, it also played host to Premier League giants Arsenal and Chelsea

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It was a clash between Dundee United and Selangor XI that became the first event to be hosted at the stadium in 1994 with the Malaysian side sporting Liverpool legend Bruce Grobbelaar between the sticks.

The game ended 1-1 but there was certainly more to football for the stadium which hosted huge concerts throughout the years. Iconic bands such as Bon Jovi, Deep Purple and Maroon 5 all played at the venue.

Following the commencement of the dismantling, it's expected to be finished by the end of the year with a new, modern replacement set to be completed by 2029.

In a new era for Malaysian stadiums, the proposed ground will have a retractable roof, indoor humidity control and a 'event mode' for live music performances.

While the upgrades will be a welcome feature after years of abandonment to the previous arena, the stadium will be almost half the size of the Shah Alam Stadium. The expected capacity is set to be between 35,000 and 45,000.

To put the size into further context, Old Trafford's current capacity sits at 74,310 – although United are also looking to build their own new home following the arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Anfield, meanwhile, now holds 61,276 following redevelopments in recent years.

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