The award, which each year recognises the new-build venue deemed to be the world's best, features public voting, which is now underway.

Protective Stadium is one of six in the United States to have been shortlisted.

There are 23 candidates in all, including three due to be used at this year's FIFA World Cup in Qatar - Stadium 974, Al Thumama Stadium and Al Bayt Stadium.

Morodok Techo National Stadium in Cambodia - due to be the centrepiece venue for next year's Southeast Asian Games, as well as the 2029 Asian Youth Games - makes the list.

So too does the Stade Olympique d'Oran, set to be the main venue for the 2022 Mediterranean Games in the Algerian city.

Stadiums must have a capacity of at least 10,000 people, have opened in 2021, be new or rebuilt and be able to hold football matches to be eligible for the award.

Protective Stadium is set to stage Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the Birmingham 2022 World Games, as well as drone racing.

The 45,000-capacity venue had its grand opening in October.

It is the new permanent home of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Blazers gridiron football team.

It cost $180 million (£140 million/€150 million) to build and is owned and operated by the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex Authority, with funding coming for the Birmingham City Council, UAB and the university's corporate partners, among other sources

The stadium is named after the insurance company of the same name, which is headquartered in Birmingham and purchased the naming rights.