Two sporting venues in Buenos Aires 2018 bid for the Youth Olympic Games have been voted in a list of the top 10 stadia in the world.
They are the River Plate Stadium and the Boca Juniors Stadium, both located in Buenos Aires City. They were ranked in the top 10 most iconic football stadia globally by digital sports media network, Bleacher Report. The two were voted fifth and ninth in the world respectively.
The stadia are selected on factors such as capacity and record attendances, tournaments and showpiece events they have hosted, and the memorable moments that have taken place there.
The River Plate Stadium is the proposed venue for the 2018 Youth Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies with a capacity of 57,900.
The Boca Juniors Stadium is the suggested venue for the football competition in the 2018 Youth Games. The venue has a capacity of 49,000 and is located in Buenos Aires’ La Boca district. The stadium was also recently voted the best football stadium in South America by the Latin American football website Pasion Libertadores.
Francisco Irarrazaval, Buenos Aires Under-Secretary of Sport and Chief Executive of the Buenos Aires Bid Committee said, “in Buenos Aires and across Argentina we are very proud of our sporting heritage and having two of our venues feature in this list of iconic stadia further underlines the unique offer that Buenos Aires can make to the IOC and the Youth Olympic Games in 2018.
“Generations of young people in Buenos Aires have been inspired by experiencing sport in these iconic stadia. It would be our honour and privilege to now welcome the youth of the world in 2018, share the magic and theatre of these venues with a new generation of young athletes, and help inspire even more young people to take up Olympic sport.
“Our aim is to provide a stage for young athletes and fans to come from all corners of the globe and take away sporting memories that they will cherish forever.
“We promise to deliver a Youth Olympic Games of cultural distinction and sporting excellence that encapulates the unrivalled passion of our cosmopolitan and dynamic city”.
