Abandoned World Cup stadium that cost $55m was sold for less than a house and slammed by England manager

An abandoned World Cup stadium that cost $55 million to build was sold for 'less than a house' and slammed by a former England manager.

In 1993, USA hosted England, Germany and Brazil in a round robin tournament.

Five stadiums across America hosted games, including the Pontiac Silverdome in Detroit, Michigan.

The Silverdome, an 80,300-seat stadium, cost $55 million to build in 1975 and when it opened, it featured a fiberglass fabric roof held up by air pressure - the first use of the architectural technique in a major athletic facility.

The state-of-the-art stadium played host to Germany vs. England in the 1993 US Cup.

Germany beat England 2-1 in a fixture that was contested indoors and had no uncertainties.

At the time, the Three Lions were managed by Graham Taylor, and he hit out at the stadium's dome feature.

The Pontiac Silverdome played host to England vs. Germany in the US Cup in 1993. Image: Getty

"The beauty of football is its uncertainties," he explained.

"The more uncertainties you take away, the more boring it gets. Weather and climate play a part in our game. I wonder, when I look at a stadium like this: Is it taking away some of the uncertainties and beauty of the game?"

The grass drew criticism, too. Both teams practiced on the 14,000 square feet of hybrid grass that hosted four games at the 1994 World Cup.

The surface was left with the divots and spots, which were carefully repaired before the game with green-dyed sand.

Roger Faulkner, president of the Michigan World Cup Host Committee, said: "People are going to be out there looking for divots with microscopes. But if you look at Soldier Field (where USA and Germany played) after the game, I’m sure there were hundreds of them."

The Pontiac Silverdome - once home to the NFL's Detroit Lions between 1975 and 2001 - was sold for $583,000 in 2009.