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Six Nations stadium with 30,000 seats that hosted England games is now abandoned

This stadium in Rome was the home of Italian rugby for over a decade and hosted a number of England's Six Nations matches - but now lies abandoned and overgrown

[Stadio Flaminio]

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This stadium lies in a state of ruin but hosted Six Nations matches 13 years ago(Image: Marck /Youtube)

Italy's Stadio Flaminio, which hosted Six Nations matches for over a decade and was frequently visited by England, now lies in a state of disrepair.

The 30,000-capacity stadium in Rome, which opened its doors in 1959 ahead of the 1960 Summer Olympic Games, primarily hosted football matches but began to accommodate rugby from 2000 when Italy joined the Six Nations.

Despite being the smallest stadium in the competition during its tenure, it was eventually outgrown, leading the national team to relocate their major games to the larger Stadio Olympico nearby.

Now, 13 years after Italian rugby left it behind in 2012, the ground is decaying, and the pitch has become jungle-like - but its future isn't entirely bleak.

The English first headed to the now-abandoned ground during Italy's debut Six Nations campaign in 2000. The eventual tournament champions were ruthless in their initial visit, putting their opponents to the sword 59-12 before being denied the Grand Slam by Scotland.

England have notoriously never lost to Italy in the Six Nations and, in their six visits to the Stadio Flaminio, often won comfortably. The closest encounter came in 2008 when they prevailed by just four points in a 23-19 victory.

[England rugby]

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England played at the ground on six occasions

In football, both Roma and Lazio temporarily called it home while their usual ground, the Stadio Olimpico, was being renovated back in the 1989-1990 Serie A season, reports Wales Online.

The venue also hosted musicians such as David Bowie in 1987, with a whopping 45,000 fans in attendance, and others like Pink Floyd and Bruce Springsteen have graced its stage.

Despite undergoing a renovation in 2008, the stadium's glory faded as rugby games and concerts moved on, leaving it in a state of neglect. YouTube clips reveal the extent of the overgrowth that's taken over the pitch. But there's a glimmer of hope on the horizon.

In 2021, whispers of a revival began to circulate, and by December 2024, Lazio president Claudio Lotito pitched a grand vision to Rome's Mayor. This ambitious plan aims to transform the Stadio Flaminio into a modern 40,000-50,000-seater arena, complete with a retractable roof, for Lazio, who currently share the Stadio Olimpico with city rivals Roma.

[ROME, ITALY - DECEMBER 17: Juventus player Sergei Aleinikov against Roma on December 17, 1989 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Juventus FC - Archive/Juventus FC via Getty Images)]

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Roma and Lazio played at the stadium in 1989

The Mayor of Rome endorsed the initial concept, stating: "President Lotito and his team showed us the pre-feasibility study for the renovation of the Flaminio stadium project.

"A beautiful project, it will have to be examined in detail, but we are happy that it has been announced that the proposal will be formally launched, thus triggering the administrative procedure.

"Now, we will work to examine it in detail. It seems that Lazio has moved from intentions to will to concrete facts. From here to a few hours we expect that what they presented to us, also with video, will become an official request with all the necessary documentation."

However, whispers from Italy indicate these plans haven't quite hit the evaluation stage yet. Calcio e Finanza reports that a rival group is angling to transform the stadium into a 'temple for women's football,' potentially outflanking Lazio.

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