BBC commentator claims the Lusail Iconic Stadium is "right up there… with Ashton Gate"

A general view of play as Callum Johnson of Portsmouth scores their side's first goal during the FA Cup Third Round match between Bristol City and Portsmouth at Ashton Gate Stadium on January 10, 2021 in Bristol, England. Sporting stadiums around England remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors

(Image credit: Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

The Lusail Iconic Stadium is one of the most beautiful in the world, according to BBC commentator Jonathan Pearce… so much so that's in a premier tier with Bristol City's ground.

Pearce is one of the Beeb's most revered commentators, having worked on Match of the Day for decades now and earned a cult status as the voice of BBC show Robot Wars. The commentator is on duty alongside Homes Under The Hammer presenter Dion Dublin for Denmark's final group game against Australia – and he made a bold claim about Qatar's premier venue.

The Lusail Iconic Stadium, built specifically for the 2022 World Cup holds 88,000 or so spectators. When discussing the grounds used for the tournament during the Denmark vs Australia commentary, Pearce mentioned that Lusail's stadium was incredible, with Dublin saying that he'd not had the pleasure of visiting it.

Lusail Stadium exterior — Qatar or Bristol? (Image credit: Getty)

"It's right up there with Tottenham's stadium," Pearce said of the ground, which is set to host 10 World Cup fixtures, including the final.

"Wow," Dublin replied. "That must be some stadium, then."

"…and Ashton Gate," Pearce added, referencing the Robins' patch.

"That's some stadium as well actually, having played there," Dublin kindly responded.

Bristol City fans will be thrilled to know that a commentator as well-travelled as Jonathan Pearce – not to mention a Premier League legend of Dion Dublin's calibre – both rate their 27,000-seater stadium as highly as the likes of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, renowned for being one of the most impressive stadiums in Europe.

Before you ask: yes, Pearce is a Bristol City fan.

Mark White has been at on FourFourTwo since joining in January 2020, first as a staff writer before becoming content editor in 2023. An encyclopedia of football shirts and boots knowledge – both past and present – Mark has also represented FFT at both FA Cup and League Cup finals (though didn't receive a winners' medal on either occasion) and has written pieces for the mag ranging on subjects from Bobby Robson's season at Barcelona to Robinho's career. He has written cover features for the mag on Mikel Arteta and Martin Odegaard, and is assisted by his cat, Rosie, who has interned for the brand since lockdown.