Amsterdam city council plans to build a new stadium for the city with capacity for about 80,000 people. The move, announced by council executive Carolien Gehrels, is aimed at boosting Amsterdam's bid to host the football World Cup in 2018 or the 2028 Olympics. According to an estimate made by Dutch property magazine PropertyNL, the stadium would have a development cost of between EUR 60 mln and EUR 80 mln.

Amsterdam city council plans to build a new stadium for the city with capacity for about 80,000 people. The move, announced by council executive Carolien Gehrels, is aimed at boosting Amsterdam's bid to host the football World Cup in 2018 or the 2028 Olympics. According to an estimate made by Dutch property magazine PropertyNL, the stadium would have a development cost of between EUR 60 mln and EUR 80 mln.

The new stadium would be located between Amsterdam and Almere, on land reclaimed from the IJmeer lake, and it should be completed by 2018. The council is expected to carry out a study of the plan this year.

According to Gehrels, the current city stadium Amsterdam ArenA does not meet the city's needs. Amsterdam ArenA, home to football club Ajax, was planned as the centrepiece of Amsterdam's bid for the 1992 Olympic Games and has capacity for 52,000 people.