Abandoned 'world's greatest' football ground with 80,000 capacity left empty for 15 years

It was billed to be the greatest football stadium in the world, but instead it lies unused, incomplete, and shrouded in mystery. Back in 2006, bosses announced grand plans to move from their historic Mestalla home into the aptly named Nou Mestalla, with grand visions of shops, cinemas, and restaurants to be incorporated into the surrounding area. There were plans for the stadium to also boast 80,000 seats and host future finals.

Work began in 2007, with the initial target date for completion set for the summer of 2009 with ex-president Juan Soler promising "the best stadium" on the planet. It was an ambition that in hindsight, seemed ludicrously optimistic.

Indeed, by February 2009, Soler's replacement Juan Soriano announced a 'temporary' break to the work being done. Not before a concrete bowl base had been built and £84.32million spent on construction of course.

That temporary period has since extended to more than 15 years. According to , the club's initial plans appeared to be scuppered by the Spanish banking crisis which in turn, exacerbated their own debts.

Since then, rumours of the project being revitalised have been frequent but ultimately futile. In 2011, reports emerged that the La Liga club had negotiated a deal with Bankia to complete the stadium works, with the old arena then due to become the property of the bank itself.

Talks collapsed though, and two years later fresh proposals were made to renew construction on the Nou Mestalla, but with a reduced capacity. In both 2017 and 2020 similar plans were unveiled - but on each occasion the fresh optimism never materialised into reality.

ndeed, 15 years on from builders being asked to put away their tools, and the venue still sits there, but as an eyesore as opposed to a beacon of the city of Valencia. The current home evokes memories and history, but is considered outdated in comparison to the homes of many of Europe's top clubs.

However, suddenly there is fresh hope on the horizon. Last December, club president Lay Hoon Chan publicly stated "I believe it is now or never for the new stadium." He also claimed, albeit amid much scepticism, that the club were in "advanced negotiations" with a company over the sale of the stadium site.

The confirmation that Spain will co-host the 2030 World Cup with Portugal and Morocco has seemingly aroused the sleeping beast, or in this case, forgotten project. The Spanish Football Federation have said they have been informed that work on the Nou Mestalla site will restart this year, with a view to completion by 2026.

According to reports, the venue will initially include 66,000 seats, with more than 4,000 due to be added before 2030. Valencia themselves are scheduled to end an 106-year association with the current Mestalla, which has played home to six La Liga titles, in the 2026/27 campaign.

While the relief will be palpable if that is the case, fans and club chiefs will have to reluctantly accept that the initial boast of Soler to produce the biggest and boldest football venue in the world would have long since evaporated. Venues like the New Bernabeu and Stadium have since been constructed to stunning effort.

Mind you, Valencia chiefs are unlikely to be overly concerned with where their new home would rank. Simply moving into the Nou Mestalla would represent a triumph after 15 years of false dawns, unrealistic vows, and feeling of frustration that have long turned to resignation.