5 of the Most Bizarre Places Soccer Has Ever Been Played
The Burj Al Arab helipad is one of the most intriguing locations to have ever hosted 1v1
Soccer might be the world’s most popular sport, but it’s also one of the most adaptable. You don’t need a stadium. You barely need a goal. In fact, all you really need is a ball, some friends, and maybe a little disregard for altitude, architecture, or common sense.
As NYC Footy prepares to drop soccer matches in the middle of weekend mall shopping sprees with the second annual Cup of Dreams, we’re taking a trip down the lane, memory lane that is, to share five of the most unexpected places ever to host a soccer match.
1. A Floating Pitch in Koh Panyee, Thailand
Let’s kick things off (literally) with a floating field. The island village of Koh Panyee didn’t have any land to spare for a proper soccer pitch, so in the 1980s, a bunch of kids built one out of scrap wood and fishing rafts. Was it bouncy? Yes. Were there gaps in the floor? Also yes. But that didn’t stop them. Today, Koh Panyee FC is one of the best youth teams in Thailand. It’s proof that soccer isn’t about where you play—it’s about why you play.
2. The Helipad on the Burj Al Arab, Dubai
In 2013, two legends—Luis Figo and Fabio Cannavaro—played a casual one-on-one atop the world’s most famous helipad, 689 feet above sea level. No crowd, no lines, just two GOATs volleying on a circle of turf with no railings. The vibe was part sport, part luxury commercial, and part “please don’t lose the ball.” It’s probably the only match where a goal kick could have led to a maritime search.
3. A Glacier in the Alps (Elevation: Ridiculous)
In 2022, the highest soccer match ever played took place at 20,230 feet on Mount Kilimanjaro, but let’s rewind to the Swiss Alps, where soccer has been played on actual glaciers for charity and climate awareness. Playing a full 90 in snow boots, oxygen-thin air, and freezing winds? That’s dedication.
4. A Prison Yard in San Pedro, Bolivia
San Pedro Prison is infamous for being run largely by its inmates, and at one point, it even had its own internal economy—including a functioning soccer league. With no guards inside and family members living within the prison walls, soccer became one of the only ways to bring people together. It was less “pick-up game” and more “survive and advance,” but it shows how soccer thrives even in the most unconventional (and controversial) places.
Note: If you’re into prison vibes, you’re going to want to keep tabs on our annual Fuchs Fest tournament at Hudson Sports Complex, a former correctional facility that’s now hosting tournaments and a youth soccer academy thanks to former EPL player Christian Fuchs.
5. A Rooftop in Tokyo
Soccer on the streets? That’s old news. Soccer above the streets is the move in Tokyo, where rooftop futsal courts have become a sleek, space-saving phenomenon. The Adidas Futsal Park above Shibuya Station may be the most iconic—it’s been hosting matches since 2001, and playing up there feels like you’re in a video game. Neon lights, skyline views, and trains passing below? Chef’s kiss.
Final Whistle:
Whether it’s a glacier, a helipad, or a wooden raft in the middle of the sea, these matches are a reminder that soccer doesn’t need a stadium setting. It just needs people who want to play. So next time you look at a weird patch of land, ask yourself: “Could this be a pitch?”
(The answer is probably yes.)